May Digest
A surprise sale, tattoos, decluttering in reverse and a pod rec
Welcome to one of the craziest months of the year! How can I pray for you? Hit reply or leave a comment!
In case you’re new here 🙌, each month I send out a digest of curated things I’m loving. You’ll see a mix of products, content and tips.
LET'S CELEBRATE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER W/ A SALE (30% OFF!)
We didn't plan a sale, but how could we let such a big day pass without some sort of celebration? Think of some friends who could use encouragement and grab some "just because" gifts! Use code DAYOFPRAYER for 30% off EVERYTHING in the shop! Also, I’ll be hopping on live around 9 am this morning to talk to encourage us if the crusty image we have of today is pancakes and presidents.
HOUSE HUSHING
I LOVE this idea! Myquillyn Smith calls it decluttering in reverse. I want to do this this summer. Just picturing our built-ins empty reminds me of simpler times when we moved in and Vivi was crawling around on the wood floors.
A CRAVE-WORTHY SOUP?
When I first saw people raving about this lemon chicken soup, I thought seriously? It's chicken, lemon, and cream, basically? But oh my goodness! It's so good. Y'all know about my soupapalooza where I make a bunch of soups and portion them in individual portions to have for lunches during the work day. Well, when I kept reaching for this one from the freezer, I knew it was a winner. It had to be good!!
INTENTIONAL SUMMER ACTIVITY
I have seen these but haven't tried them yet but I really wanted something we could do intentionally as a family together. So tattoo memory verses it is!! I am just committing to the summer but we'll see! If it goes well, we'll keep going! Annnnd, just saw they have a book coming out this month to help you memorize Scripture specifically related to overcoming negativity. Just pre-ordered. ;)
PRACTICAL AND PEPPY, JUST HOW WE LIKE IT
I LOVE Nancy Ray and always leave her content so inspired so joining her on her podcast was quite a treat. Take a listen here on your next drive, jog or cleaning session if you need a prayer peptalk.
THIS SWEATSHIRT MATCHES ALL MY REQUIREMENTS
You've seen me in this thing on social, in Costco, roadtripping to Dallas, working from home. It's just so good. It's not too thick, so it's great for milder weather when it's still cold indoors. It covers the bum making it great over some yoga pants. To top it off, it's v-neck so I don't feel like I'm being strangled like some shirts can make this HSP (highly sensitive person) feel like.
A RESISTANCE TASK BUDDY
Have you heard the one about accountability helping with…well pretty much everything? I loved this idea from Hannah Brencher’s recent email about finding someone to keep each other accountable for that task each day that you want to procrastinate on. Bout to text a few friends and see what this could look like for us! Read the full email here.
SONG ON REPEAT
This precious song always has me praying that I’d draw near to the Lord!
A NICE SUBSTITUTE FOR SCROLLING
This is not just a Substack plug. This has been so helpful! If you're trying to give up mindless scrolling on social media and need the equivalent of a nicotine patch to wean off, check out Substack! It offers articles and longer-form content that's super inspiring but much less mindless and honestly, I just don’t get sucked into the zombie scroll in the same way. Instead, it’s got me feeling like a student learning and each action is purposeful or curious.
This month, in my own Substack,
, we’ve asked and prayed through lots of questions!Why can’t I rest? - What if the little time we did get to rest, we wasted for silly reasons like I attempted to do?
Did I want to be a pastor’s wife? - A personal post about how God took me from never gonna happen to excited.
Is this a fence or a law? - For all of us who struggle with legalism and knowing where the line is.
Should I traditionally publish or self-publish? - An in-depth post sharing all the numbers, all the pros and cons and more.
Next week, we’re asking, “Are other moms the problem?” Yep. 🙈
A LIFE TRANSFORMED (SUBSTACK STYLE)
“I always take away something from your emails and newsletters - sometimes one phrase, sometimes more - that brings me closer to God in prayer.” - Kimberly
“When I read your posts and listen to your podcast, I am motivated to spend more time in prayer. You teach us why it is important and make it easy to fit into our routines. I am learning how to abide with my Father. What a gift you are giving us! Your writing is beautiful.” - Vivian
FROM THE BOOKSHELF
Prayer - Tim Keller (why this is so crazy, here)
See a full list of my favorite books HERE! This email may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
SHOP NEWS
30% off everything TODAY ONLY!! :) Use code DAYOFPRAYER
Talk soon,
Val
P.S. Before the MAYhem really gets going, is anyone on your gift list that we can help with?
