This Devoted Life
What started as a Saturday morning coffee date turned into a podcast where we discuss our faith, family, finances and so much more!
In a world that is encouraging you to “live your truth” and to “follow your heart,” we want to encourage you to live Devoted to THE Truth. The Bible has a lot to say about how to live a victorious Christian life, and we want to share practical insight in how to apply those truths to your life as we endeavor to apply them to our own lives as well.
We are passionate about building and growing the nuclear family, as well as sharing our expertise and experience with finances, homeschooling, and over 70 years of combined biblical knowledge.
Join us as we live… This Devoted Life!
James and Shanda
This Devoted Life
34. Whitney Newby: Lift Your Eyes - Finding God's Presence in Life's Chaos
The divine moments hidden in motherhood's chaos come alive in our conversation with Whitney Newby, founder of Brighter Day Press and author of "Lift Your Eyes." Whitney's transition from nurse to entrepreneur reveals how unexpected detours can become our greatest purpose.
When the pandemic halted her nursing career in 2020, Whitney transformed her family's morning time routine into resources that now serve countless homeschool families. The business has flourished to where her husband left his worship pastor role to join her full-time, showcasing their complementary partnership in both business and homeschooling their four children.
Whitney's storytelling captivates as she shares receiving a left foot-shaped cookie cutter—exactly matching her unborn son's suspected club foot—with words from Psalm 139 at her gender reveal party. This remarkable confirmation that God sees our deepest fears demonstrates His intimate involvement in our lives.
For the daily struggles of motherhood, Whitney offers practical wisdom through concepts like saying "change of assignment" when interrupted and praying aloud with children during stressful moments. Her perspective transforms mundane tasks into meaningful participation in God's ongoing work of creating order from chaos.
Based on Psalm 121, Whitney's devotional addresses forty common motherhood scenarios through God's character as Helper, Provider, Protector, and Shepherd. She reminds us that motherhood's value isn't measured by worldly standards but by faithful presence in the assignment God has given.
Whether you're knee-deep in diapers, navigating the tween years, or anywhere between, this episode will lift your eyes to see God's hand in every interruption, challenge, and ordinary Tuesday morning breakfast. Follow Whitney @brighterdaypress or visit brighterdaypress.com for resources that will enrich your family's faith journey.
Links (may contain affiliate links):
Lift Your Eyes by Whitney Newby
We Shall All Be Changed by Whitney Pipkin
Jesus On Every Page by David Murray
Connect with Whitney:
Website: Brighter Day Press
Instagram: @brighterdaypress
Let's connect!
Website: This Devoted Life
Instagram: Devoted Motherhood & This Devoted Life Podcast
Email: podcast@thisdevotedlife.com
Welcome to another episode of this Devoted Life Podcast. We are so excited because we have a special guest on today, Whitney Newby. She is a pastor's wife and homeschool mom to four kiddos. Formerly working in the medical field as a nurse, she now stays home with her children and runs her successful business, Brighter Day Press. I personally have used many of her resources, from her full-year morning time guides to some of her seasonal guides. She is a wonderful watercolor artist. You will find many watercolor tutorials on her website and you will also find them in her new book, Lift your Eyes. That is just filled with beautiful artwork that is from Whitney. So if you pick up her book, you will just be delighted with the artwork that is in there, and we're going to talk more about her book. You will just be delighted with the artwork that is in there, and we're going to talk more about her book as the podcast goes on. But she's a joy to follow on social media and I personally am encouraged in my walk with the Lord because she is always pointing me towards Him.
Speaker 2:What started as a Saturday morning coffee date turned into a podcast where we chat about things like faith, family finances and so much more.
Speaker 1:In a world that is encouraging you to live your truth and to follow your heart. We want to encourage you to live devoted to the truth.
Speaker 2:The Bible has a lot to say about how to live a victorious Christian life, and we want to share practical insight in how to apply those truths to your life, as we endeavor to apply them to our own lives as well.
Speaker 1:If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a review and share these episodes with your friends so that you can help them live this devoted life too.
Speaker 3:Hi guys, Thanks so much for having me yeah absolutely yeah, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 1:I'm so glad that you were able to take some time out of your busy schedule to chat with us a little bit, and can you just tell us a little bit more about yourself?
Speaker 3:Yes, so I feel like we probably have a lot in common. We both have four kids and they're really similar ages, so our oldest is 12.
Speaker 3:And then we have a 10 year old, a seven year old and a six year old right now and we have three boys and a girl and we have been homeschooling since the beginning and it's just a lifestyle that we fell in love with and never expected to do that. So we run, like you said, brighter day press and actually my husband and I do that full time and we um, we live here in Greenville, south Carolina, and we just moved here last August from Texas and so this still feels a little bit new to us. But yeah, it's a joy to get to just encourage families and create these gospel centered literature, rich resources for primarily for homeschool families, but really for any Christian families.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so does your husband now work for your company? He?
Speaker 3:does?
Speaker 1:I didn't realize he was now with you. That's amazing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so you're right, he was a pastor.
Speaker 3:He was a worship pastor for 10 years and back in July of 2023, we got to a point where we needed to hire someone full-time and thought, really, there's nobody better than him, and so since July of 2023, he has been full-time and he is in charge of all of our inventory, our shipping, our communicating with our accountant all the stuff I do not enjoy, so he's really in behind the scenes, but he also helps write some of our resources and actually I'll be speaking at some homeschool conferences coming up and he will be leading worship at them. So that's kind of fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely yeah. So he gets to draw from his experience, but in kind of a new realm.
Speaker 1:Yes, you probably find, like James and I find this all the time is that you guys I mean you said that he kind of does the things that you don't necessarily enjoy and we find the same thing. It's like God gives you that spouse, that you just mesh and are able to cover each other's weaknesses.
Speaker 2:Like I think that's such a cool thing. Yeah, you compliment each other well, right.
Speaker 3:You know you fill in the gaps and make a difference. It is such a gift, yeah, and to be working together. I know a lot of couples will tell us oh, I could never do that, you know full time. And I mean we're home all the time because we're we actually share homeschooling responsibilities, so we, um, we homeschool every other day and then the other one is working that day, and so that has actually, I mean, been just a huge gift, and who knows if we'll continue to do that for all of homeschooling, but it's been great for now.
Speaker 2:No, that's wonderful. Do you um, do you kind of each focus on a certain um, like discipline on the homeschool day, consistently, or do you kind of trade off?
Speaker 3:So, yeah, good question. We've tried it both ways and what what has worked for us recently is I pretty much make the plans, so I know exactly what we're going to do. Our kids know what we're going to do. The only thing that's different is we are each reading a separate read aloud, so tough if it's like one chapter, you know one day like missing parts of the story, but otherwise we just continue where the other person left off.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's awesome.
Speaker 2:Interesting.
Speaker 1:Why did you guys move to?
Speaker 3:you said South Carolina Is that where you're at, yeah what made the move from.
Speaker 3:Texas. Yeah, so we were in Texas for five years and our family is all closer to the East coast, so we have family in North Carolina and Tennessee that's where our parents are and so we kind of just chose Greenville because it's driving distance to both families and, in particular, my husband's mom is dealing with some health issues and so we wanted to be closer to her, and it's really hard to fly with six people, as you know. Yeah, so we wanted somewhere driving distance, but we did not know anyone coming to Greenville. This was just kind of a little bit of a random move, but it's been really good. We plugged into a church right away, which is essential for this kind of season when we're not really tethered in any other way, you know.
Speaker 1:And right after you moved.
Speaker 3:there wasn't that when the hurricane hit too, and and you saw massive devastation, which was wild because, yeah, we actually moved, I think in mid-August and it was end of September, so we were only here for six weeks or so and we kept hearing reports that we might get some of this Hurricane Helene, which people around here were like we live in the mountains.
Speaker 2:We never had a hurricane. I even thought that too, and when all the news stations were saying stuff, I'm like, wait a second. North Carolina, yes, western Carolina, virginia.
Speaker 3:Exactly so. We actually lost our van in the storm and we were all just huddled together. Thankfully, nothing touched our house, so praise God for that. But we lost power for seven days. And a tree. We watched a tree just crash down on the top of our van. It was wild.
Speaker 1:It was quite wild. I would say that's quite the welcoming party. Welcome to North or South Carolina.
Speaker 2:So did the Greenville area get much damage, so much damage.
Speaker 3:Yes, so if we I mean still there are parks around that you know, trails are closed because so many trees have fallen and fallen on houses and all of that. But really I think way worse about an hour North of here in Western North Carolina, yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, cause I remember, like I said, the news saying you know North Carolina and stuff, did you? Um? So I kind of just stepping back a little bit from the move from Texas and whatnot. I don't have any personal connection to Greenville, south Carolina, but kind of in the circles that I grew up in, um, Bob Jones university was like a, a lot of people that I knew went there, things like that. So Bob Jones is in Greenville, correct?
Speaker 3:It is, yeah it is, we were there the other day because our son had a piano competition there.
Speaker 2:So did that have any bearing or factor on, like where you moved, or was that just a coincidence?
Speaker 3:It was just totally a coincidence, but I will say, because Bob Jones is here, there are so many homeschoolers here and so that has been really helpful and I feel like the Christian influence of, probably from Bob Jones. There's also North Greenville University, which is a Christian school, anderson University, all of these Christian universities, universities. If you ever get the chance to come to downtown Greenville, it is so charming, so safe and it just feels like you know some cities, you walk around and you just feel like spiritually dark and you don't feel that here, and so I do think it's the influence of so many believers here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's really cool. They, I know they have a big emphasis on fine arts and music and so I could see where you know, just kind of a spiritual light probably.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely, that is awesome. I you know. I know that you used to be a nurse. Can you kind of tell me a little bit about what made you decide to decide to leave that profession and stay home and start your own business? Yeah, so.
Speaker 3:I worked as a nurse for about seven years and it was a great job for being a mom because I could you know my, my schedule was so flexible. So when we first started homeschooling, I would homeschool in the morning which this sounds crazy to me now because I don't know how, you know, with just everything going on, but starting to homeschool and we had a six year old, a four year old, a two year old and a on, but starting to homeschool and we had a six-year-old, a four-year-old, a two-year-old and a newborn, and I would homeschool in the morning and then go to work from 3.
Speaker 2:PM to 11 PM.
Speaker 3:That was my shift, and then I would come home at midnight, wake up in the morning and start all over, although I wasn't doing it every day of the week, but I was doing it quite a bit. So so, while I say, you know, you kind of get the best of both worlds, you also get the workload of both worlds, and this is a season. This is not sustainable long-term, especially if we're going to homeschool for kids and. But I loved working as a nurse. It was such a ministry for me. But when we moved, we moved to Texas. Let's see maybe. Oh okay, we moved to Texas in 2020 and it was January of 2020. So I thought, let me just wait a couple months, maybe until like March of 2020 and all of her jobs then.
Speaker 3:And of course, everything with COVID happened, yes, and no one was hiring at hospitals, because people weren't coming to the hospital unless it was a life-threatening situation, and so nurses were not getting the hours they need and they certainly weren't hiring. And so I suddenly had more free time than I had had in years, and so I started writing down what was really bearing fruit in our homeschool, which was our morning time routine.
Speaker 3:And it was 20 to 30 minutes of reading the Bible together, singing a hymn, I mean probably a lot of the things that you guys do, reading aloud, doing history together, all of those things. And so I asked my small community on Instagram would you be interested if I offered these for sale? And everyone seemed, I mean, there were a lot of people that were, and so that's where brighter day press was born. And I mean, within a few months, I was getting ideas for more resources and just kind of seeing a gap in the market of like what our family was looking for, and then I would create that. And that was five years ago, and so I never went back, although I do keep up my license because it was way too hard to get it in the first place.
Speaker 3:But yeah, that was kind of the way that God moved me from the hospital to working at home.
Speaker 1:I love when you can see how God's hand is in it and it's just like when you take that one simple step of obedience and it just continues to kind of almost snowball into something you never even saw coming. But you know that it was God who did that for you. So it's really neat to see how your business. I mean, what are the odds that you moved to Texas and then COVID hit and you were like, hey, let's start our own?
Speaker 3:business, you know Exactly Because I don't. I don't think I ever would have started it had I stayed in North Carolina and really been needed as a nurse so. God just uprooted us for that time and, yeah, we're so grateful ultimately.
Speaker 2:That's very cool.
Speaker 1:And now you've written a book Like I have been enjoying reading through it. I know it's called lift your eyes and I just love that each chapter is short. So I'll sit in the morning and I'll just read like one or two short little chapters and it's just wonderful because each chapter you know, I think the title kind of says it all is lift your eyes and you're pointing us back to Christ and what he's doing, just in kind of the everyday, mundane moments of motherhood. So can you tell us maybe a little bit more about your book and what inspired you to write it?
Speaker 3:Yes, so what really inspired me to write it was a publisher coming to me and saying would you write a devotional? Because I was not out looking for a book deal, I didn't feel like I needed to add anything to my plate, and it actually took me about six weeks of praying about it and just praying that the Lord would give me wisdom on whether to say yes or not. Because it was, as you know, it is such a full life that you have as I'm scaling and running a small business I mean a podcast for you guys and during that six weeks he just gave so much inspiration and reminded me of things that I had already written about that I was like, oh okay, this may be, may not be as as hard as I thought, and so I said yes after six weeks, but then he just continued to guide me in the process of writing. So it's based on Psalm 121, which is the famous Psalm that begins I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
Speaker 3:And so, basically, I just divided up those eight verses and I identify one attribute of God for each of those verses so he's our helper, our provider, our protector, comfort, shepherd. And. And then underneath those, like you said, is there are five devotions that are specific to mom. So when I feel overstimulated and overwhelmed, when I feel like I've failed as a mom, when, um, my cup is full, I mean there's just so many highs and high highs and low lows in motherhood, and so I try to just there are 40 of them, and so you know things that I've walked through, but I'm thinking a lot of us have walked through.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Like. Every time I read one I go, how did she know? But I think it is just. There are common things that all moms go through. You know, like you said, sometimes we feel just the heaviness of motherhood and sometimes we feel that it's just like abundant joy in motherhood, and sometimes there's just the nitty gritty faithfulness that you're just like do I have to wash these dishes one more time? And I think that you're very real in it. But it's not nothing's a downer in it at all. It's constantly just pointing back to Christ and just this is, even though this might be a hard season, this is the fruit on the other side of it.
Speaker 3:So, yes, well, it's the book that I would have loved to read even just a few years ago, because I don't know about you, but this season of motherhood, with ages six to 12, for us is, I mean, it is so much easier than even a few years ago. And so, just to be able to see and I know it changes in every season, but I want moms to see, especially younger moms that are a few years behind me. Some people have given this as like a postpartum gift, you know, which I think is perfect, because I want moms to know they are not alone in their struggles. Not only have so many women gone through these same things, but they have a helper, and she stands ready to help. And so how do we lift our eyes? Like, what scriptures can can I point you to? You know, um, I want to just take them by the hand, in a way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think, um, a lot of times you get a lot of value just knowing that there are other people going through the same thing or have gone through the same thing, and whether it's like our Sunday school class, the adult Sunday school class that we go to a lot of times. Obviously we'll be in the scripture, but then sometimes we'll just share stuff around the room that we're going through and it's like, oh, this feels really good. Or you know, I'm part of a mastermind and kind of my day job. You know there's a few, basically, companies around the nation and you know we'll get together twice a year and it's like they are going through, even though it's geographically different and maybe even in a different discipline of life and things like that.
Speaker 1:just that camaraderie goes a long ways yeah, I mean, we were made for community, right? So just knowing that you're not alone in your struggles or, you know, just being able to celebrate certain things with people is great, and I love that. You said like this phase that we're in right now is just so much easier. I keep telling moms like it just gets better and better. So many people will say, like, just wait for the teen years, and I'm like I don't know if I believe them.
Speaker 3:I mean, I was like everything has been my favorite phase.
Speaker 1:I think the only phase I'm not going to like is when they start leaving home been my favorite phase.
Speaker 3:I think the only phase I'm not going to like is when they start leaving home. Yes, oh, I feel the same way. Yes, I'm with you. We actually just took this afternoon. We took like a five mile bike ride as a family and it was our first time to do that. Just yeah, and it just. I was like a few years ago I could not have imagined that we would be doing this through downtown Greenville and it would be so enjoyable and there were no meltdowns. I didn't change any diapers.
Speaker 1:This is so amazing we walked into a zoo the other day and James looked at me and he's like we didn't bring a stroller. I didn't even think to bring one. I was like we're officially in a new phase of parenting?
Speaker 2:Yeah, Obviously other challenges come along. But yeah, it's a great phase and I mean I think for you moms too like just literally getting out of the just massive sleep deprivation phase is a. I mean, that's just a win in and of itself.
Speaker 1:Listening to you talk about being a nurse and homeschooling and parenting just like exhausted me. Just listening to it, I was like God did not give me that capacity. I could not do that.
Speaker 3:Well, I think only just knowing that it was a season it wasn't forever was helpful. But also I feel like in some ways, you know, I was using different skills and I feel like my work at the hospital kind of made me a better mom and being a mom made me a better nurse, but I was still very tired, so I don't miss that at all.
Speaker 1:Well, going back to your book, there was one story that I read and it was about your son. Back to your book. There was one story that I read and it was about your son I believe it was Liam and how the doctors told you at your anatomy ultrasound that he had a club foot. Is that correct? Can you kind of share that story, because that was one that really struck me at, just like how God showed himself in that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so our oldest son, who's 12 now. Liam, we were I was 20 weeks pregnant and we went into the ultrasound and you know we're nervous as brand new parents and we're laying laying on the ultrasound table and I'm looking at this black and white screen and just glowing at the sight of our son for the first time and seeing his perfectly formed head, his hands opening and closing son for the first time and seeing his perfectly formed head, his hands opening and closing, and I noticed that the sonographer was trying to get a better picture of something. She had me move positions a few times and, as a nurse, I ask too many questions.
Speaker 3:I bring her with questions like what are you looking for? And a lot of times those ultrasound techs are trained to not give you answers. You know they don't want to scare you. And so she said well, I just need a better picture of his feet. I'm having trouble finding his feet. So a few minutes later she leaves and consults another radiologist and then she comes back with their joint assessment that it looked like both of his feet were clubbed, but particularly the left foot. Both of his feet were clubbed, but particularly the left foot. And I will say she didn't have the best bedside manner. But she was like don't worry about it too much, but you'll have to come in in a couple of weeks for a genetic counseling session and also a more in-depth ultrasound. And she said you know, if it's just a club foot that's not a huge worry, but it may be connected to other genetic abnormalities.
Speaker 1:That's not what you want to hear as a first time mom.
Speaker 3:And so I'm laying there just feeling completely deflated and defeated, like you know, and just wondering if God sees or cares. I wish I could say in that moment that I just lifted my eyes to him and I'm like your will be done. But in that moment I just felt, you know, I had never felt just more alone and disconnected from the baby, disconnected from the Lord, and I I laid there on the table and prayed Lord, heal our son. And if not, I pray that you would just help me to know that you see us and that you care, because I did not feel seen or cared for in that moment. And so we left the office and we went to.
Speaker 3:Uh, that night we had a gender reveal party that had been planned and people had come in from all over and I didn't want to be a killjoy and say, well, there's something wrong with our son. So we only told our parents. But I was having the hardest time just fighting for joy and, honestly, all that I was fixated on was that clubbed left foot, because we had an ultrasound picture that I just laid in my lap on the car ride home, just of that left foot and she was showing us how it was turned and how it should have looked and all those things. And so we cut into the cake and everyone yelled you know it's a boy when they saw the blue frosting. And still I'm trying to kind of, I'm trying to have joy, I'm trying to be present, but feeling just so heartbroken over what is going on and the unknowns.
Speaker 3:And a little girl who was at the party. She came and she brought us this unexpected gift and she had a gift for a girl and a gift for a boy, and so they were two different gifts, but she handed us the one for the boy and I unwrapped this blue ribbon and pulled out a cookie cutter in the shape of a left foot and the words underneath it were from Psalm 139. And it said I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, my soul knows it very well. And so I immediately started crying and this girl's like what? What did I do? And and I was like in that moment, I didn't know that our son was gonna be okay. I didn't know, I didn't know the outcome of the story, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt that God saw and he heard, and only he could have orchestrated that. I had never even seen a cookie cutter in this, that's amazing.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So that just remains one of my favorite stories of knowing that God sees, that he is intimately involved in the tiniest details of our lives, that he makes no mistakes, and so we. I mean, I won't say that, you know, I was just perfectly okay after that. I was still anxious about what they would find, but by God's grace he did heal our son and, um, he's had no issues. But again, in that moment I knew, okay, if Liam was born with no feet at all, uh, god would walk with us through that, because this is no surprise to him.
Speaker 2:That's amazing.
Speaker 1:That story just gives me chills and that's why I wanted you to share it, because, like, I was reading the story and I could just relate to you because, actually, our son, when he was, when we got pregnant with him, you know, like first time mom, like you write out your birth plan and you just have it all figured out, this is exactly how it's going to go.
Speaker 1:Well, then he ended up being breached and I had to have a C-section and it just was like God made me realize that in that moment, he was in control of the outcome of this and that my plans are not his plans, you know, and that ultimately, that was for our good, you know. And so, like, as I was reading your story about that, I just was going, man, like our first kid, and it's just this devastation of wait, this isn't how I planned it, god. And then, when you opened up that cookie cutter, I went, oh, my goodness, look at how God just revealed himself I mean, hours later to you and just like, no matter how this happens, I see you. Yes, exactly.
Speaker 3:And we didn't have, like you said, we didn't have to wait for months to hear from the Lord in that and yes, I had prayed that we would. You know that he would show us, but I never expected it would be in the form of something so clear, yeah, that's incredible yeah, I think sometimes we have to have eyes to see those things, though, too. You know, there's just like?
Speaker 1:how often, like throughout the day, do we miss those little moments from God where he's just like? I see you, I know what you're going through and it's just like these little stray blessings that he leaves throughout our day?
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I just pray regularly that God will give us eyes to see those things throughout our day, and those are real faith builders as well.
Speaker 2:And again, if you're distracted and blinded and not in good stead with Him, you do miss those things. It's very easy to miss them.
Speaker 1:No, that's awesome. I know that was obviously an extreme example, like when things don't go as planned, but there are things you know throughout our day that just can derail us, whether it's like you have something planned and then a child gets sick and all of a sudden your day's upset. Do you have anything that you do just to kind of reset your day when your plans get kind of upset?
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know, so much of motherhood is what you can't control.
Speaker 3:And there is a quote I read recently by Chuck Swindoll. That was just that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. And that was so convicting because so much is about our reactions and when you're a mom, your kids are watching those reactions. They're watching you know how, if something doesn't go your way, how you either melt or you can, you know, change course. And one thing that has been so helpful for me is just praying aloud and in my knee, because there's not a lot of opportunity to be in a still and quiet place and be on my knees and talk to the Lord with no distractions. And the thing is he doesn't ask that of us. He just asks us to pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, and so what that's looked like for me with my kids is to be praying out loud and whether in joy, and saying Lord, thank you for this glorious day that you've made the opportunity to be together, whatever it may be, or in need, Like when I feel the frustration rising.
Speaker 3:Lord, I need your sense of peace, I need your wisdom in this moment, and it's amazing how quickly our kids become little accountability partners and they feel the temperature rising in the room and they're like I need to pray, but I have noticed that so many times, when we just take a step back, we take a pause and we offer our need to the Lord, our whole day can change, you know, and our perspective changes and therefore our home.
Speaker 1:So what a great example to set for your children of taking that moment just to reset with prayer.
Speaker 3:You know I love that.
Speaker 1:I'm probably not the best at it, because usually when I'm about to bubble over, I just go and close myself inside my bedroom and just close the door. There I'm praying but I never really thought to just stop right there and pray with my kids. That's a really great idea.
Speaker 2:The kids are usually a thermometer.
Speaker 3:They go up with you and not a thermostat where they turn you down. Exactly, and we, as moms, are the thermostat, which is a weighty role, because I know I mean. None of us are going to have a good day if I am not having a good day you know, if mom ain't happy, nobody happy, it's so true, though I wish it wasn't Exactly.
Speaker 3:I wish it wasn't either. But even when I'm not doing well physically, spiritually, emotionally that spills over into the life of my family. And the other is true as well. If I am doing well and I'm at least running to Jesus in my need, that is going to spill over to my family too.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, no question. Yes, yeah, no question yeah.
Speaker 1:There was a quote in your book that I hope you don't mind I'm going to read it.
Speaker 2:It's a little lengthy, but I love it.
Speaker 1:And I think it kind of ties in with what we're talking about right now. But it says but what if we changed how we perceive the tasks we considerhood or to Christ and allowed him to give it value when we offer our cooking to the Lord, he helps us see that there is nothing ordinary about nourishing our growing families with well-prepared meals. There is nothing mundane about patiently teaching our children to read and opening their eyes to the wonders of the world. As moms who manage our busy homes, we are privileged to continue God's work of creating order out of chaos. I loved that, Like when you talked about creating order from chaos and how it was a privilege to continue God's work. And that's really what this is in. Mothering is work that God has given us to do and we need to be found faithful.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. Thanks for sharing that. Yeah, I feel like I need that reminder even today.
Speaker 1:Yes, I just loved how you tied all of that in and just how. God's economy is vastly different. I remember a quote from Elizabeth Elliot years ago that talked about how the interruptions that we have in our day are divine and that it's really God's way of orchestrating our day, and I just think about the number of interruptions that come into our day. It's just like, okay, wait, god is bringing this interruption into our or my life right now. Like you said, how am I going to choose to react to it in this moment? Totally.
Speaker 3:There's. There's a place in the book that I talk about interruptions specifically and that a little phrase that has helped me so much in that perspective shift from just constantly being frustrated by interruptions to seeing it, as you know, a mission from the Lord, like this is what God has for me in this moment, and the phrase is change of assignment, and so I would literally say it out loud. We had a very colicky little girl when she was a newborn and I felt like she was crying all the time. And when I would be in the middle of, you know, finishing a meal or just trying to sleep, you know, and she cries out, I would feel myself like physically, just sigh, like oh you know, and trudge down the hall and care for her, and and it felt like such an interruption to all of my plans and when God prompted me I would literally I.
Speaker 3:The way that I changed this perspective was to say out loud change of assignment. My assignment right now is not to be finishing dinner or to even be sleeping, it's to care for my daughter that he has put in my life for such, you know, for his glory and for my good. And so I would say change of assignment and just turn my heart posture toward that assignment, which was my daughter, and I think that helped me in that season to just shift from feeling like this is drudgery to this is the work that he has for me. That's so good.
Speaker 1:I love that you offer, like, a lot of very practical things, and I know that you don't do that always perfectly.
Speaker 3:I'm assuming there are days where you're like.
Speaker 1:Oh, I missed that one. Lord, you know, know 100%. Yes, it's like those are goals to have and just something so simple as just audibly, like you said, praying out loud or saying change of assignment or just whatever it is that focuses your eyes off of your circumstances and back on to Christ.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we always need reminders, even when I mean it would be really nice if you could just do something once and it's like I got this for the rest of my life. But we all know that's not realistic. And so, you know, these are practical reminders and things that you can implement, but you know things that you can go back to over and over again. I mean, it's just like you know church, if you, I mean, if you just retained everything you know we wouldn't have to go back, right, but going back on a weekly basis or even more often, you know it just, it really helps.
Speaker 2:you keep things in the forefront, forefront of your mind, so that you can use them in the instance.
Speaker 3:Cause again kids are relentless right, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:You have lots of opportunity to practice these things.
Speaker 1:Yes, absolutely. Well. Is there anything that you wanted to add, like about your book? Like, is there a book that you are currently reading? Even that you're enjoying and that you would recommend for people or for moms.
Speaker 3:Okay, so I am actually well okay. One book that I just read this year that I highly recommend and this is such an interesting, I actually brought it with me. It's called we Shall All Be Changed. Have you seen? This an interesting I actually brought it with me.
Speaker 3:It's called we Shall All Be Changed. Have you seen this one before? I have not read that one. Okay, it's by Whitney Pipkin and I think it came out last year maybe, but it is. It actually talks about the death of her mom from cancer, but it's a theology of death, so you don't have to be actively walking through grief or walking alongside anyone I mean, we're all on our way to grave and it is one of the most powerful books I have ever read and highly, highly recommend it.
Speaker 3:So we shall all be changed. And then, right now, what I'm using in the morning is it's called Jesus on every page and it's by David Murray and it shows Christ through the old Testament.
Speaker 2:And it feels like.
Speaker 3:It almost feels like I'm in a seminary class. It's very deep but I love it because I just read one chapter in the morning and then read whatever passage it's talking about, and it has just opened my eyes to so much, um much, of where Jesus is through the Old Testament.
Speaker 1:So those are two favorites right now. Are the chapters fairly short in that book? They are, yeah.
Speaker 3:They're like six or seven pages, so you can do one in a morning sitting.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:That's kind of how I feel when I read Spurgeon, because there's like I've got a book morning and evening and it's just one page and I leave there and I'm like I feel like I just sat through a theological seminar.
Speaker 2:It definitely deepens your faith and understanding of you know, when you go through the types and anti-types between the Old. Testament and New Testament and it's, you know, I mean it's a, it's a story, it's his story and it's just woven through time and that's really cool, that's powerful.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, I think nowadays Christians just they want to throw out the God of the Old Testament. But I was like he is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. The God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are one. His wrath and judgment and His grace and mercy work hand in hand and we can't just pick and choose who we want God to be. We can't have him just be all love and no judgment. But because he is all loving, he is the perfect judge and it's just. It's really neat to see when you I'm assuming the book is like this as you're reading through the Old Testament just how God really is still the same yesterday, yesterday, today and for eternity yeah, he's the immutable being yeah, exactly oh, so good.
Speaker 3:Well, yes, highly recommend jesus on every page by david. He's a scottish writer too, which are those are my favorite theologians. Sinclair ferguson is my favorite theologian to read. He's scottish and I don't know. There's just. It seems like they're much more articulate than American.
Speaker 1:There's like a depth there to it, like what was missing from this writer. Yeah Well, can you tell us, or like tell our listeners where they can find you? Like, what's your social media, your website?
Speaker 3:So I am brighterdaypress on Instagram and I share a lot of encouragement for moms. That also book recommendations and just kind of daily life and I'm also at brighterdaypresscom and then you can find Lift your Eyes wherever books are sold so Amazon. I know it's in Barnes and Noble stores, which is really fun, so yeah wherever books are sold.
Speaker 1:Are you doing any book signings or anything?
Speaker 3:Yes, I've done a couple of them One in Monroe, georgia, and one. Where else did I do? Oh, in Texas. So I went back to actually it was really sweet I went to Keller, texas, where we had lived before and I had actually written the book in this co working space in the back of a bookstore. So I went back to that bookstore and did a book signing, so it was really awesome.
Speaker 3:But yeah, I mean we'll be at some upcoming homeschool conferences here in the next couple of months. Teach them diligently. I met three of those and then one in Florida, one in Syracuse, new York, so I'll bring books to all of that and we'll probably sign books there as well. Well, wonderful.
Speaker 1:I appreciated you sending me the book. Like I said, I've been really enjoying reading it. So I'm going to kind of put my stamp of approval on that and just encourage moms to do it, whether they are in the early years trenches or they just are kind of in the phase that we're in right now and just want the encouragement for the everyday faithfulness.
Speaker 2:And it is authentic, so she's had it on her bed stand for a while now and she's been reading it. She kind of goes through. She always has a stack of books that she's going through.
Speaker 1:Oh man bored to add to my two read stack, oh my goodness.
Speaker 3:I'm right there with you.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So like it's kind of interesting whenever we interview someone like yourself that has been in kind of Shanda's community for a long time and I I mean I'm a terrible host or co-host because I don't really know you very much and other than just you know hearing some things. So it's always fun to get to know someone a little bit more and a little bit of your background, things like that yeah, I feel like. I yeah.
Speaker 3:I didn't have any notes or anything, I was just by the wayside. That's okay. You did so great.
Speaker 1:Sometimes I feel like that's almost better, because you get just like the raw, unfiltered, like hey, we're going to do new and yeah, absolutely. This was enjoyable. I really appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to do this and maybe you know, a year from now we can sit down and talk about it again, or?
Speaker 3:some new things. Thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 1:All right, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm going to kind of wrap it up here. Until next time, we want to encourage you to seek God, love your spouse, hug your kids and stay devoted. Thank you for tuning in to this Devoted Life podcast with James and Shanda. We appreciate your support in sharing biblical, uplifting truths with the world. If you found value in this episode, please leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us to improve the show and we'd love to hear from you. Be sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode. To learn more about how to live a life devoted to God and family, head over to thisdevotedlifecom. You can also follow me, shanda, on Instagram at devoted underscore motherhood. Thank you again for listening and we look forward to seeing you next time on this Devoted Life podcast.