September's Favorites - To encourage your walk with the Lord

Welcome to Monthly Favorites.  My hope is that the items highlighted will be a blessing and encouragement to your own walk of Faith.

So without further delay, here are my favorites for September!

Erin Condren Planner

www.erincondren.com

I first heard about the Erin Condren Planner from my daughter.  It actually became a running joke between my son-in-law and I because all Gabrielle would ever talk about was how much she wanted the "Erin Condren Planner".  Whenever she would bring it up, he and I would look at each other and say, "There she goes again!".  lol.

I decided an Erin Condren Planner would be a wonderful Christmas surprise for my daughter even though I still didn't know what all the hype was about.  {There is actually a funny story about the arrival of said surprise.  Fed Ex delivered the planner when Gabrielle was at the house.  When I opened the door to retrieve it, I stood there frozen because ERIN CONDREN was plastered all over the box!  I was trying to figure out how I would get the box in the house without Gabrielle seeing it!  After standing at the front door for what seemed like an hour  - and apparently to my daughter too!  lol - I walked in with it hidden behind my robe.

Needless to say, she was very excited when she opened the box and saw the Erin Condren Planner with the mint damask cover, her name and life verse printed on the front.

At this point, I didn't really have a need for a planner, but a few months into blogging, I suddenly took great interest into what an Erin Condren Planner had to offer...

• An assortment of cover designs that can be personalized with your name, a Scripture verse, favorite quote or whatever you'd like - and the covers are interchangeable!
• Snap in/Snap out bookmark 
• Folder pockets
• Plastic pouch
• Calendar stickers
• Note pages
• Month-at-a-glance
• 7 day vertical planner with ample space to write notes and appointments; weekly goals & notes along the left side; four lines of notes at the bottom of each day {pictured above showing a portion of the page}
• Many other accessories to choose from to enhance your calendar

I have found this planner to be very helpful for use with the weekly link-up parties I participate in - making a record of the posts I'm linking up and keeping track of where I've posted.  

I am also a list-maker and love having my to do list for the week accompanying my weekly planner.

The Erin Condren Planner has definitely helped me to better organize my blogging tasks and blog posts which has allowed me to be a better steward with my time.

But all things should be done decently and in order.

1 Corinthians 14:40

*Note*  This planner is a bit on the pricey side.  I actually purchased mine for a third of the price because I ordered it in April.

I think my daughter may be on to something, it is the perfect gift to put on your Christmas wish list.  ;-)

TARGET CANVAS STORAGE CART

www.target.com

During one of the link-up parties, I visited a blog post which shared about portable organization of stationery and blogging supplies.  {I must apologize, I thought I had bookmarked the blog post and had planned on sharing the link with this portion,  but unfortunately, I cannot locate it. :-(   Please comment below if this was your blog post and include a link so you can receive all the credit!} 

Prior to organizing, my desk was out of control.  I had pieces of paper and sticky notes everywhere on my desk with no rhyme or reason to the original file cabinet I had sitting next to my desk.   My blogging space, which is in my bedroom temporarily and a tight space already, was nothing but clutter - which is so surprising since I normally don't like clutter. 

I set out to buy the canvas storage cart that this sister-blogger had used.  I went to my local Target and purchased it there.  It is actually the perfect color as it matches the color scheme I am planning for my future blogging space.  I also picked up two organizing boxes, one the size of a shoe box and the other half that size which I am using for random office supplies.  I already had the plastic pouches which I found at Marshalls for storing my calendar stickers, pens/pencils, and folders.

The pictures below show the finished organized product:

 My productivity has greatly increased since organizing my blogging space.  It truly has helped me to be a better steward of God's purposes for my blogging activities.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.

Hebrews 12:1

I am so thankful for the inspiration from this sister blogger, and how organized my space came out as a result!

Wednesdays with Beth

Beth Moore Weekly Online Bible Teaching

A few years ago, when I attended my first Beth Moore Bible study at church, a dear sister-in-the-Lord told me that Beth Moore also does weekly online Bible teaching through Life Today.  I was so excited!!

When I say that these Bible teachings have had a profound effect on my walk with the Lord, that is an understatement!

I love the fact that you can watch a Beth Moore Bible Study each week!  The teachings, which are basically like a 15 minute video version of what you would receive in one of her formal Bible studies, cover a wide variety of topics and Scripture verses.  She oftentimes does a series which may go on for a few weeks.

You can also look through her video archives which go back to 2011.  You will see so many topics that will reach you right where you are.

I know you will be blessed by a Word from Beth Moore.  :-)

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

Proverbs 19:20

Beth Moore's Living Free Fall Online Bible Study

Lifeway Women All Access

I received an email a few weeks ago from Lifeway Women announcing a new Beth Moore online Bible study, entitled Living Free.  I am so excited!!

The Bible study description reads as follows:

"Welcome! We’d love to have you join us for Living Free: Learning to Pray God’s Word by Beth Moore as an online study this fall. Beginning September 17 and each Thursday for seven weeks, we’ll meet back here at the LifeWay Women blog to discuss Living Free together.

Ready to replace false strongholds with true freedom in Christ? As you learn to pray Scripture with Living Free, you’ll realize the life God desires for you. Author Beth Moore explores the somewhat radical idea that we cannot please God by being perfect. The study begins by defining false strongholds, then focuses on five key benefits for every believer:

Know God and believe Him
Glorify God
Find satisfaction in God
Experience God’s peace
Enjoy God

With Living Free participants can learn how to develop a Godward focus in life, while beginning to incorporate the key benefits in their lives through practices of prayer and Bible study."

The Living Free Bible study did start on September 17th, but you can join the study at any time because the videos and posts will be live indefinitely.

What a blessing that we can participate in an interactive study with sisters-in-Christ and Beth Moore.

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman who needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

This Last Surrender - 31 Day Devotional for Women

www.amazon.com

My dear friend and sister-in-the-Lord, Rebekah Neal, has been contributing to her blog, Ready to be Offered, since 2013.  Bekki has been blessed with an incredible gift for writing.  The words of her posts are humbly and carefully chosen, but effortlessly presented in beautiful prose that are unique to Bekki.  

Bekki recently published her first book,  This Last Surrender {a 31 Day Devotional for Women}, a compilation of carefully picked posts from her blog presented in a devotional format with reflection questions closing each chapter.

The following is an excerpt from the preface of This Last Surrender:

"This life is a pilgrimage.  So many have called it a journey.  And while the journey is part of this life, it lies hidden within the great pilgrimage to that heavenly place, whose Builder and Maker is God...

So these writings come from years of pilgrimage. From years of pilgrimage along a narrow pathway that has never been easy, but that I embrace without regret...

So I offer you these writings, writings taken from the blog Ready to Be Offered, written over a period of two years, years of trial, years of learning, years of surrender, and years of grace through my failings.  My prayer is that the great Father of our pilgrimage will use them to encourage us both along the way of life..."

You will be incredibly blessed by Bekki's humility, gentleness and wisdom as you read This Last Surrender.

I hope this offering of favorites will be a blessing to you.  :-)

Blessed to be a blessing

Blessed to live Your love

Blessed to share with others every blessing from above.

A stanza from a song written for St. John's Lutheran School in Napa, California to be their theme song for the 2001-2002 school year.  

If you missed last week's daily features, you can visit them below.  :-)

Tuesday Thoughts - September 22, 2015

Wednesday Worship - September 23, 2015

Thanksgiving Thursday - September 24, 2015

Feature Friday - September 25, 2015

Scripture Saturday - September 26, 2015

You might find me on these link-ups:
Grace & Truth Link-up, Woman to Woman Ministries,  Growing in Grace Link-up, 3DLessonsLif4e, Livefree Thursday,Everyday Jesus, SDG Gathering, Inspire Me Monday Titus 2 Tuesday, A Wise Women Builds Her Home, A Look at the Book,  Sunday Stillness, The Weekend Brew, Spiritual Sundays, Soul Survival,  Give Me Grace, A Little R&R, Testimony Tuesday, Women with Intention Wednesdays, Still Saturday, Good Morning Mondays, Tell His Story, Faith & Fellowship Blog Hop, Motivate and Rejuvenate Mondays, Be Salty, Monday's Musings, The Art of Home-Making Monday, Tuesday Talk, Waiting on Wednesday,Dance with Jesus,Looking Up Link-Up, Reflect His Love and Glory Friend Sharpens Friend Link-Up, Words of Comfort Link-up, Wholehearted Wednesdays. Tell it to Me Tuesday, Faithful at Home Fridays, So Much At Home Link-Up, Faith 'N Friends,