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Money Saving Mom

Money Saving Mom®

Saving Families Money Since 2007

2hr Cleaning Checklist

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2hr Cleaning Checklist

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Shared Aug 30, 2018 comment

Potatoes for $1, Krusteaz Cookie Mix for $0.99, plus more deals!

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Potatoes for $1, Krusteaz Cookie Mix for $0.99, plus more deals!

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).

For live updates, be sure to follow my Instagram Stories. See all posts on my $70 Grocery Budget here.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and we will be compensated if you click through and sign up. Read our disclosure policy here.

I went to two Krogers on Tuesday but never had a chance to post the deals I got — because I ran out of blogging time because I spent it all on the South Africa post. And then I stopped by Kroger again today. So here are my 3 Kroger shopping trips…

Kroger Shopping Trip #1

  • Yoplait Oui petites — marked down to $1.19
  • Ground Beef – marked down to $3.79
  • Noosa yogurt — marked down to $0.79
  • Total with tax: $6.13

Kroger Shopping Trip #2

  • Milk — $2.69
  • 1 bag of plums — marked down to $0.99
  • Bag of buns — marked down to $0.99
  • 1 Naked Juice — $2.99, used $2.50/1 coupon (the person in front of me left it at the Catalina machine at the self checkout!)
  • Total with tax: $5.64

Kroger Shopping Trip #3

  • Krusteaz Cookie Mix — on sale for $0.99 when you buy 5 participating items
  • Baking cocoa — $1.99
  • Raw sugar — $2.89
  • 4 dozen eggs — marked down to $1.19 each
  • 2 packages of sausage — marked down to $1.49 each
  • 2 bags of potatoes — marked down to $1 each
  • 1 bag of buns — marked down to $0.99
  • Total with tax: $22.90

What I’ve Spent So Far This Week

Total I’ve Spend So Far This Week: $54.04

Total Left to Spend: $15.96

Cashback Earned This Week: 291 from Fetch Rewards for buying Capri Sun + $0.50 back from Ibotta for uploading 2 receipts

Shared Aug 29, 2018 comment

The 5 Books I Read the Past Two Weeks + a Movie We Watched

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The 5 Books I Read the Past Two Weeks + a Movie We Watched

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly Book-ish post where I share what I’ve been reading and watching recently. If you missed it, you can see my Reading Goals for 2018 and 44 Books I Plan to Read This Year. 

(Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and we will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Read our disclosure policy here.)

Well, I didn’t quite hit my goal of reading 3 books per week the last two weeks, but I read 5 books, so I’ll celebrate that! (Oh and I had planned to post a book post last week and that just didn’t happen… thanks for your patience!)

1. Sacred Rest

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. It addresses rest from a very different perspective than other books I’ve read on this topic and I loved how it wasn’t just about getting more sleep or slowing down or taking a Sabbath.

This book is written by a doctor and I thought the author’s medical background shed a lot of wisdom on the topic of rest and how being well rested impacts our lives. However, what really stood out to me in this book was the author’s differentiation between the types of rest we need — physical rest, mental rest, emotional rest, spiritual rest, social rest, sensory rest, and creative rest. I had never heard rest and our need for the different kinds of rest broken into these categories and I found it very insightful.

In fact, it helped me to understand why I can feel drained sometimes — even if I’ve been getting plenty of sleep. I might not be rested in other areas such as getting creative rest or sensory rest or social rest.

And I loved the practical suggestions that the book gave for ways to recognize which kinds of rest you are lacking in and how to get more of each kind of rest in your life.

2. How I Became the Fittest Woman on Earth

Since you all know we’re big fans of CrossFit, I’m sure you’re not surprised I enjoyed this book! 🙂 If you love CrossFit, you’ll find this book fascinating as it gives the behind-the-scenes peek into the life and training of one of the most well-known women of CrossFit: Tia-Clair Toomey.

Her story is interesting, surprising, and inspiring. I love that her husband is her coach and I love that she talks so openly about her failures and struggles. In addition, she shares candidly about her workout routines, training regimens, nutrition, recovery, and more.

Note: This book has quite a bit of language in it.

3. The Journey Back

We read this book aloud together because it’s the sequel to The Upstairs Room — the true story of two Jewish girls who had to go in hiding in a house for two years during World War II.

We didn’t enjoy it as much as The Upstairs Room and I would love to know more about how the story played out in the years to come, but it was eye-opening to think of how hard it must have been to rebuild your life and community after the war. The books are firsthand accounts and the writing style is a little weird and sometimes hard to follow.

Note: Both of these books have crass language in them. I edited some of it out as I read.

4. Jesus, My Father, and the CIA

I got this book because I enjoyed the author’s other book, Chasing Francis. It was a little hard to follow and felt like some sections had filler content to reach the word count. But other parts made me laugh out loud or feel deeply with the author. Overall, it gives a very compelling account of the ravaging impact an alcoholic parent can have on their children and the entire family.

5. The Shape of Mercy

I listened to this audiobook (thanks to the free Libby app!) and really enjoyed it. Well, I don’t know that enjoy is the right word, because it was a sad story. But it’s well-narrated, engaging, and doesn’t end like you expect.

The author does a fantastic job of addressing the atrocities of the Salem Witch Trials while challenging us to really think about how we perceive people and how we can often judge people based upon those perceptions. I fell in love with the characters and didn’t want it to end!

We watched The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society movie this past week. I loved the book so much and didn’t know if I wanted to watch the movie. The movie made me want to go back and read the book… because I read it so long ago that I can’t remember if the movie follows the book and went way off script. And now I need to go back and read the book again to find out! 🙂

When I Find Time to Read

People are always asking me how I find time to read. Honestly, it’s because I love to read, because I’ve chosen to prioritize it, because I don’t have a lot of other hobbies, and because I can’t not read. Also, when you love something, you usually can find ways to get creative to find time to fit it in — even if it’s in the little nooks and crannies of life.

I wrote a post on 3 ways to find more time to read — even when life is busy. And here are 7 more ways to find time to read.

What did you read and watch this past week? Any books or movies or shows you really think I need to read or watch?

Shared Aug 28, 2018 comment

How You Can Make a Difference in South Africa

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How You Can Make a Difference in South Africa

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my series all about our recent family trip to South Africa. I’m recounting some of our favorite experiences, lessons we learned, travel tips, and some of the most memorable stories and takeaways. To read all of the posts in this series, click here.

As I close this series on our trip to South Africa, I want to give you an opportunity to help in a tangible way. Many of you have asked me if there is a way you can send money or help in other ways.

First off, please know that I only share this with those of you are feeling a tug in your heart to be involved. I rarely share these types of opportunities because I know that most of you are on tight budgets and I never want you to feel in any way obligated to help.

But I also know that many of you would really love to help and are eager to find out about specific ways to make a difference in South Africa. Know that just by reading here and by occasionally purchasing deals we post or buying my online courses and products, you are making a difference in South Africa — because our family gives a significant portion of our income to help pay for the operational costs of Take Action Ministry.

We believe wholeheartedly in the work of Take Action Ministry and we also know exactly how they spend every penny. We know that they are extremely careful and prayerful and wise with all funds given to them and we know firsthand that the money we invest there goes very far.

In addition, Jesse serves in a volunteer position on the board of the ministry, so he is actively involved in the decisions that they are making and the direction they are taking. I only share this because I want you to know that this is something our family is personally deeply invested in.

Take Action Ministry is helping to feed, teach, nurture, and provide care for around 1100+ children at 17 different centres they work closely with. These centres are located in some of the poorest areas of South Africa and these children are some of the most vulnerable kids in those areas.

Many of these children live in child-headed households or with a grandparent or aunt. Their parents are either no longer living or they work in the city. Since transportation from the city to these rural areas is expensive, parents working in the cities often can only come home once a month or so.

It’s very common for these children to be left to pretty much fend for themselves and take care of themselves. The government does provide schooling, but the education is usually very minimal as teacher training is also minimal. Many children not only do not have parents who are teaching them basic skills and caring for them, but they are also not learning much at school.

That’s why the work that Take Action Ministry is doing is so vital to these kids and their futures. The centres they work with provide so much support to these communities — feeding the kids nutritious meals, teaching children to read, helping them with schoolwork, teaching them basic hygiene (such as how to pick up trash instead of just throwing it on the ground), giving them opportunities to be involved in sports, helping them to have a safe place to go to after school, providing counseling services, teaching the kids about Jesus, and helping them to feel part of a community where they are loved and cared for.

While there are so many needs that I could tell you about in South Africa, I wanted to highlight three needs that I’d love for you to consider being involved in:

1. Buy a Pair of School Shoes for a Child

Take Action Ministry is currently hosting a Shoe Drive with the big, big goal of providing a new pair of school shoes to every school age and preschool age child in each of their 17 centres. That’s 1110 pairs of shoes total. It sounds like a BIG number, but I know that we can all band together and make this happen!

Here’s more information from Take Action Ministry:

All children of school going age at our partner centres are supposed to wear black school shoes as part of their uniform, but many children are unable to do so because they come from households where the cost of a pair of shoes is prohibitive.

Although most of the schools in the Hammanksraal area show leniency with this requirement, the children still suffer as not wearing school shoes singles them out as being vulnerable and poor, which takes away their dignity and feelings of self worth.

We are asking you to stand in the gap to provide a pair of new or very gently used school shoes for every child from our partner centres who will be attending school in 2019. In addition, we hope to bless those who are too young for big school with a pair of shoes they can be proud of!

On average, a good pair of school shoes costs R250. The cost varies by size, with smaller sizes costing less than larger ones.

We reached out to a large shoe supplier and have been given an amazing discount on black school shoes we purchase through them! In addition to this fantastic news, we can also purchase shoes for children who attend creche at this same discounted rate!

In our original newsletter, we said that we needed to raise R250,000/$20,000 to provide shoes for every child. We are so excited to share that those numbers have changed to R159,000/$11,500!

These figures are based on the discount we will receive and also on the current exchange rate, which is always in flux.

I’d like to challenge each family who reads here to do is to prayerfully consider donating the cost of one pair of shoes to Take Action Ministry. This would be around $15 to $25. If you have more than one child, maybe you might consider donating a pair of shoes for each child you have?

Think of fun ways to get your kids involved in this! Maybe they could come up with creative ways you could earn or raise the money. Or they might donate some from their savings, piggy bank, or allowance.

If you donate, would you leave a comment or send me an email so I can personally thank you? Also, if you come up with a creative idea to raise money for this or to find the money in your budget for this, would you send me an email? I’d love to consider sharing it to inspire others!

To donate to the Shoe Drive, just go here and enter your amount and information. Then, put “Shoe Drive” in the notes section. 

2. Become a Monthly Sponsor

If you feel God tugging on your heart to do something more, there is a big need for ongoing donations to Take Action Ministry. They currently have a need to hire more locals to help out at some of their centres and they would also love to be able to pay some of those locals who are giving up many hours of their time to volunteer at their centres.

If you are interested in becoming a monthly donor, even just $20 or $40 per month can go a long way toward helping with the these salaries and could make such a difference.

To become a monthly sponsor, you can set it up here. (Just enter your details and choose “Monthly Donation”).

If you’d like more information about Take Action Ministry and the work they are doing/how they manage their funds, I know that Jesse would be happy to talk to you more about it. (Just email me and I can put you in touch with him!) We are so careful about where we choose to give our money, so I want you to feel very confident in what you are investing in and make sure to have all of your questions answered.

Thank you so much for considering this! You have no idea the far-reaching impact you could be making… and I hope maybe someday I could take you with me to South Africa and get to show you firsthand!

3. Donate to Amo’s House Fund

Amo is a sweet, sweet girl that our family got to meet when we first visited South Africa. Our friends, the Feys, often take care of her while her mom works. They have become like family to her family and have long dreamed of being able to help build her family a home. (You can read more about Amo and her family here.)

When we first visited South Africa, Kathrynne got to go with their family to Amo’s house. When she came back home, she told me that was one of the points of the trip that stuck out most to her. I vividly remember her looking up into my eyes and saying, “Mom! Amo’s whole family lives in a house that felt smaller than my room! And it was so old and cramped!”

She was pretty overwhelmed by the poverty she saw and she then said this, “Mom! I don’t understand! If there are Christians in this world, why does Amo’s family live like that?”

I had no answer for her, ya’ll.

But I did tell her that this is why our family chooses to be very careful with how we spend our money and that this is why we often say “no” when she asks if she can have certain things… because we are choosing to give that money away instead of spend it on our family. We can’t meet all the needs or help all the people, but we can do what we can do — and that’s why we want to live beneath our means so we can give generously.

I think Kathrynne is forever going to be changed by what she saw that day.

The story didn’t end there, though. Guess what? The Fey’s worked tirelessly to raise enough support from Christians around the world to build Amo’s family a house!

We got to go and see this house when we visited South Africa and it was pretty incredible. They were so proud of their house and I was, too. Because it was beautiful! (See pictures and progress reports of the house-building project here.)

The house is finished enough that they can move into it, but we asked permission to take their picture and share their story here because I thought maybe some of you might want to donate to the house project — there are still a lot of needs to help furnish it and finish it out.

If you would like to donate to Amo’s family’s house, you can click on the donate button on the sidebar of the Fey’s blog here

(The old house)

(The new house — isn’t it so nice?!)

(Amo was talking to me here! She’s so precious!)

(Pictured are some of the wonderful team from Take Action Ministry — they aren’t just people we know in South Africa; they are people we consider our dear friends!)

Whether you donate money to pay for a pair of shoes, sign up to become a monthly sponsor, give to Amo’s house fund, share this post with someone else, or just get inspired to give in some way in your own community through this post, all of us here pictured say thank you. You might never know this side of heaven the impact that your support will have to change children’s lives and futures.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

Shared Aug 28, 2018 comment

Gretchen’s $60 Weekly Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan

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Gretchen’s $60 Weekly Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I took a break from posting my shopping trips over the summer due to a new baby, selling our house and moving to a new house. But I’m finally back into the swing of things and am excited to be back to deal shopping again and planning our weekly menus!

Aldi

1 loaf Bread – $1.49

1 pkg English Muffins – $0.79

2 dozen Eggs – $0.58 each

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.29

1 box Crisp Rice Cereal – $1.49

1 pkg Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.99

1 pkg Cheddar Cheese – $1.99

1 pkg Oven Roasted Turkey Meat – $2.39

1 Half & Half – $1.99

1 Sour Cream – $1.49

1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.89

1 lb Butter – $2.55

1 pkg Grapes – $2.42

1 gallon Milk – $1.79

1 pkg Tilapia Fillets  – $3.39

Total: $32.11

Dillons

1 box Capri Sun Juice – $1.29

2 Simple Truth Lunch Kits – $2 each, used 2 $0.60/1 e-coupons – $1.40 each after coupons

1 Mentos Gum – $1, used free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

5 pkg Simple Truth Nuts – $1 each, used $1/1 e-coupon (This was supposed to come off five times making these all free, but it only came off once.) 🙁 – $0.80 each after coupon

1 Quaker Rice Cakes – $0.67

1 pkg Kroger Frozen Corn – $1, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon

5 pkg Simple Truth Frozen Veggies – $1.29 each, used 5 $0.50/1 e-coupons – $0.79 each after coupon

1 Blue Bunny Ice Cream – $3.99, used $1/1 e-coupon – $2.99 after coupon

1 Edy’s Ice Cream – $1.99, used $0.75/1 e-coupon – $1.24 after coupon

2 Green Leaf Lettuce – $1.29 each

1 Kroger Peanut Butter – $1.79

1 pkg Sunbelt Granola Bars –  $2.69

1 Kraft Ranch Dressing – $0.99

2.29 lbs Bananas – $1.12

1 bag Potatoes – $2.79, used $1/1 e-coupon – $1.79 after coupon

Total after coupons: $27.90

Total for both stores: $60.01

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Toast, English Muffins, Bananas, Eggs

Lunches

Tossed Salads, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Turkey Sandwiches, Hard Boiled Eggs, Cheese/Crackers/Nuts, Fruit/Veggies, Leftovers

Dinners

Grilled Chickn & Tilapia, Biscuits, Steamed Broccoli

Cheese Pizza, Tossed Salad

BBQ Meatballs (using venison), Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Corn, Ice Cream

Dinner with Lifegroup (It’s my week off from bringing food – yay!)

Taco Bar

Pancakes, Eggs, Fruit Smoothies (using frozen fruit I bought several weeks ago)

Leftovers

Shared Aug 27, 2018 comment

This Week’s Menu Plan + Look What I Found at Kroger!

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This Week’s Menu Plan + Look What I Found at Kroger!

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).

For live updates, be sure to follow my Instagram Stories. See all posts on my $70 Grocery Budget here.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and we will be compensated if you click through and sign up. Read our disclosure policy here.

I ran into Kroger this morning with Kathrynne in between dropping Silas and Kaitlynn off at school and needing to drop her off at school. This is becoming part of our morning routine and we’ve been loving it! We set the timer and then go on a sort of “treasure hunt” to see what markdowns we can find in less than 10 minutes!

Kroger Shopping Trip #1

After we dropped Kathrynne off at school, we swung by a second Kroger that is right on our way home. I didn’t find much there, but I was excited about the avocados and we stocked up on more Capri-Sun (shh! Don’t tell my kids! I’m hiding this in the garage freezer until

Kroger Shopping Trip #2

This Week’s Menu Plan

We’re headed to Breckenridge, CO with all of my extended family (my dad’s Christmas present to all of us this year was paying for our trip there) to spend Saturday, Sunday, and Monday staying together at this huge and beautiful house there (follow me on Instagram Stories if you’d like to see some videos/photos of our trip!), so I’m only planning meals for Monday through Friday of this week.

(We’re doing meals in Breckenridge similar to how we did meals when we were at Bull Shoals Lake with all of my extended family — with everyone bringing some food and helping with the cooking.)

Breakfasts:

  • Cereal, Oatmeal, Toast/Eggs (Everyone is on their own for breakfast!)

Lunches:

  • Fried Eggs, Avocados, Salad, Whole-Wheat Toast, Leftovers, Apples (Jesse & Me)
  • Sandwiches, Cheese/Crackers, Fruit, Veggies, Granola Bars, Cookies, Capri Sun (For the kids — They are in charge of their own lunches.)

Dinners:

  • Turkey Wings, Corn on the Cob, Cantaloupe
  • Waffles, Bacon, Homemade Applesauce
  • BBQ Chicken, Homemade Mac & Cheese, Roasted Broccoli
  • Sausage/Peppers/Onions in the Crock-Pot, Brown Rice, Fruit
  • Dinner Out

What I’ve Spent So Far This Week

Total I’ve Spend So Far This Week: $19.37

Total Left to Spend: $50.63

Cashback Earned This Week: 215 from Fetch Rewards for buying Capri Sun + $0.25 back from Ibotta

WANT TO SAVE $100 FAST?!Join the FREE 14-Day Savings Challenge!

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Shared Aug 27, 2018 comment

A Peek Into Our Week (+ an update on our 2018 goals!)

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A Peek Into Our Week (+ an update on our 2018 goals!)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly post I share a peek into our lives, talk about things I’m loving, share links to interesting articles or helpful ideas I’ve collected throughout the past week, and just talk about whatever is on my heart! ?

Kaitlynn and I did bubbly masks that I got in my FabFitFun box to unbox. These were kind of weird, but fun to do!

We took a hike and picnic to Stillhouse Hollow Falls with friends on Saturday.

This is pretty normal life around here — we’re trying to get a picture of the two of us and we get photobombed. 😉

Our family got there around 5:15 p.m. and it was the perfect time because almost everyone was leaving and we pretty much had the entire waterfall to ourselves! Read more about Stillhouse Hollow Falls here.

We had our Community Group over for a Bring Your Own Lunch get together on Sunday after church.

One of the families also brought brownies and ice cream to celebrate the recent birthdays in our group.

We hadn’t been together for a few months (we take a break from regular get-togethers for summer), so it was SO nice to get to hang out again — and it was so fun that everyone could make it!

I just love having older kids! Love it, love it, love it!

Sure, they are moody some days. Sure, they sometimes make wrong choices. And yes, sometimes they drive me batty.

But don’t we all do the same things? None of us are perfect and when I stopped expecting a ridiculous level of perfection from my kids (that *I* can’t even live up to myself!) it opened the door for me to just love them and enjoy them.

I love seeing their unique, crazy, and amazing personalities blossoming. I love that they are so different than me in many ways. I love that they teach me new things and push me outside my comfort zone.

I love learning how to motivate them and when they need me to just get out of the way. I love seeing them grow wings and learn to fly. I love watching them develop close friendships. I love seeing them excel and learn from failure.

I love our deep conversations and our ridiculous jokes. I love their sarcasm. I love making them laugh. I love it when they make me laugh.

I love their hearts for Jesus and others. I love that they know way more about pop culture than me and are always introducing me to new songs that they can’t believe I don’t know.

I love our long talks about their futures. I love listening to their dreams and hopes. And I love seeing them become more and more independent… and I love that they still want to hang out with me.

We’re in such a sweet season right now. I know that things are going to be changing in big ways in our home in the next five years (Kathrynne will be 18 and probably just leaving for college or some other big adventure!), so I’m seeking to just soak up every moment in my mama heart.

Speaking of which, as our kids get older, they have become more and more independent. They don’t need me to help them get dressed or clean their room. They can pack their own lunches and fix a snack when they are hungry.

But they still need their mom. It just looks a lot different than it used to.

I’m learning that the best thing I can do in this new season is to just make myself AVAILABLE to them — whether that’s to help them with a writing project, to take them to run an errand, to look at funny memes on Pinterest with them, to watch their favorite YouTube videos, to play Fortnite with them (this has won me mega cool mom awards!), or to just sit and listen to them.

One big change we’ve made to our schedule this year is book-ending our day with time together. We start our mornings all driving in the car to school drop-offs together (I read a chapter book to them while Jesse drives). When they come home from school, I make sure my schedule is cleared so we can just be together and I am available to them for whatever they need from 4 pm to 5 pm. Then, we sit down and eat dinner together at around 5 pm.

Even if we have things going on in the evenings, it means we’ve started our day with time together and we’ve “ended” our day with time together.

To achieve this…

  • I make sure that I don’t over-pack my work day so I can get most everything done from 8 am to 4 pm.
  • I make sure that dinner is planned and ready before 4 pm (either in the crockpot or ready to pop into the oven. We often make enough for two nights so that it saves dinner prep time on the second night).
  • I communicate with the kids in the morning about what the plan is for the afternoon and evening (if we have plans after dinner, etc.) so that everyone knows what to expect.
  • We also plan something fun to look forward to when they get home & have their homework done. (It could be as simple as planning that we’ll play a game of Fortnite before dinner.)

On the nights when we don’t have activities after dinner, I schedule one-on-one time with each child and they get to choose what we do! It’s the BEST!

On My Heart…

It’s so easy for me to feel stressed, worried, or frustrated about situations when things aren’t going like I’d hoped.

Maybe my kids are struggling or there’s tension in our marriage or a blog sponsor is being really difficult and demanding to work with or I’ve gotten a slew of hate mail or our website is having major issues or there’s miscommunication with a friend or that blog partnership we worked so hard to make happen fell through or it’s just one of those weeks when I have a really long to do list with a lot of pressing things…

Your list of things that can make you feel stressed or frustrated or worried might look really different than mine, but I’m sure you could write your own.

I’ve been challenging myself to put the energy that I usually would spend stressing over a situation into praying about it instead.

There’s something really life-impacting and freeing for me to just vent it all out to God. And then to ask Him for whatever it is I need for that situation. Sometimes, I don’t even know what it is that I need.

So I’ll just pray and say, “God, please help me. I feel so frustrated about this. It feels overwhelming and impossible. I need your help because I don’t have what it takes.”

Laying my burdens at the foot of the Cross means I can stop carrying them around and feeling stressed by them. He wants me to give them to Him. He wants to carry them for me and carry me through the very rough patches of my life. But He’s waiting for me to stop trying to pull myself up by my own bootstraps and to instead hold my hands out and say, “I need You. I can’t do this without You.”

2018 Goals Update

Personal Goals

1. Read 100 non-self-help books that will build me up/encourage me/inspire me/recharge me. (Fiction/story-driven/biographies/inspirational living books/devotionals.) See the list of 44 books I plan to read this year.

**Progress: 51 books read so far this year

2. Read through the entire Bible.

**Progress: I’m using the Robert Murray M’Cheyne plan and am all caught up— yay!

3. Write one handwritten note to someone every week.

**Progress: 33 notes written so far this year

4. Run 500 miles.

**Progress: 315 miles run so far

Marriage Goal

5. Go on an overnight trip with Jesse without the kids.Jesse and I went to NYC together in January.

Family Goals

6. Read 10 books aloud with the kids.

**Progress: I’ve finished two books so far and we’re almost finished with a third.

7. Take the kids to South Africa. We took this trip in July. What a memorable experience!

8. Go on a family road trip.

**Progress: We’ve been researching some options for this and are planning to make this happen over Fall Break. Stay tuned!

Financial Goals

9. Save up to pay cash to finish off an office for me and workout room for Jesse and me in the basement in our new house.

**Progress: The workout room is DONE and the office is getting close to being done!

10. Replenish our Emergency Fund (we dipped into it to replace my car when it got totaled because of the carpet beetle infestation.)

Business Goals

11. Increase our gross income from the business by 8%.

12. Launch 5 new courses.

**Progress: We launched 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life launched in January, Content Creation 101 in February, 4-Week Blog Coaching Program in March, Email List Setup 101 in March, Make Over Your Mornings LIVE in April, the Facebook Live Masterclass in May, and we launched Build Your List 101 in June!

Shared Aug 27, 2018 comment

Are you coming tonight?

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Are you coming tonight?

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Just a quick reminder that today is the last day to sign up for tonight’s FREE class on becoming a virtual assistant. If you are looking for a way to make money from home, I don’t want you to miss tonight’s class!

Sign up here.

Way back in the day, I worked as a virtual assistant and now I employ multiple virtual assistants in my business. I’m such a big believer in virtual assistants and think many people don’t realize just how much opportunity there is to work from home as a VA.

If you’d like to learn more about what it takes to become a virtual assistant, how to find the time to start working as one (even if you are a busy mom!), and how to find land your first job, don’t miss tonight’s free class with my friends Carlee and Victoria (who are both virtual assistants!) on how to earn an income from home as a virtual assistant.

Like I said, the class is tonight (Monday evening — August 27, 2018) at 8 p.m. CT/9 p.m. EST. And yes, it’s completely FREE!

In this class, you’ll learn:

  • How to find margins in your busy days to work from home
  • How to discover the skills you ALREADY have that you can use right away
  • 3 strategies to finding your first work-at-home job
  • How to get on track to positively change your family’s future
  • Plus, the three of us will host a live Q&A at the end to answer your burning questions!

I hope you can join us!

Sign up for this free class on becoming a virtual assistant here.

P.S. If you can’t make it live to the class, you’ll get a link to the replay if you sign up!

Shared Aug 26, 2018 comment

Slow Day: Week 34

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Slow Day: Week 34

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my weekly Slow Day post, inspired by Monica from The Homespun Heart. My Word for 2018 is Slow and, in the spirit of that word, I’m taking one day each week (Wednesday) off — I’ll be unplugged and offline and plan to move at a slower pace, take time to do things that refresh me, and just really focus on being present and savoring the moment.

Each week, I’ll be sharing a photographic peek into my Slow Day. Enjoy a little peek into our lives!

We tried something new this morning. I skipped working out and instead took my shower and got ready for the day before we left for school and then I went to Morning Assembly with Silas and Kaitlynn. It was so fun to get to see a peek into what they’ve been learning. I’m hoping to make this a weekly thing — it’s totally worth skipping my workout for!

I’m excited to be serving as a co-leader in our church’s Discipleship Group again this year. Last year, I was really hesitant about helping lead, but I did it (with some strong encouragement from Jesse and our church’s Women’s Ministry Leader), because I felt like it was something I was being called to do — even though it scared me.

It ended up being a powerfully life-changing experience PLUS I developed a really close friendship with two of the women in my group (Jamie & Lauren) — a big answer to many prayers I’ve prayed for really close local friends! That was completely unexpected and such an extra special gift… we have made so many special memories as girlfriends and couples and families this past year — and we are planning all sorts of fun adventures for the future (I’ll be blogging some of them, I’m sure! Stay tuned!)

We had a Leader’s meeting on Wednesday and Discipleship Group officially kicks off with a Tuesday Dessert Night this week. I’m excited to see what God is going to do this year as I step out in faith and help lead a new group!

After the Leader’s Meeting, I headed to Nashville to meet up with Leigh Kramer who was in town. (I actually got there early — something I’ve been working on making a thing in my life! And I had some time to read a little bit from one of my current reads, Sacred Rest.)

Leigh always knows the best places to go eat! She picked Edley’s Bar-B-Que and it was amazing! I want to take Jesse back there!

I didn’t get home until close to when the kids got home from school, so I made a quick dinner of Barbecue Chicken (the easiest recipe on the planet!) and then we reviewed homework, hung out, and talked about their day.

(I told you this recipe was easy – it’s literally just a bottle of barbecue sauce and chicken — both that I got on a great sale in the last month!) We served it with leftover mac and cheese and roasted veggies. The perfect kind of comfort food!

I spent the rest of the evening hanging out with the kids — talking and watching YouTube videos. And then we all went to bed early!

Shared Aug 25, 2018 comment

Today’s Kroger, ALDI, Sprouts, and Big Lots shopping trip (I’m $1 under budget!)

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Today’s Kroger, ALDI, Sprouts, and Big Lots shopping trip (I’m $1 under budget!)

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).

For live updates, be sure to follow my Instagram Stories. See all posts on my $70 Grocery Budget here.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and we will be compensated if you click through and sign up. Read our disclosure policy here.

Kaitlynn and I went shopping today since we had $53 left to spend on groceries this week. We went to a Kroger that we usually don’t go to — and this Kroger has this section that is all markdowns of scratch and dent items. It looks completely disorganized, but we found some “treasures” in the mess!

Not all Kroger stores have these markdowns sections, but definitely check to see if your store does, if you haven’t already! You never know what you might find!

We bought more junk food than usual — but do the organic veggies and whole wheat flour help balance it out?? 🙂

Kroger Shopping Trip

Big Lots Shopping Trip — 2 bags of Whole Wheat Flour for $3 each = Total with tax: $6.41

Sprouts — Cantaloupe for $0.98 each, Sweet Corn — $6 for $1, Rolled Oats — $0.99 per lb. — $1.75 = Total with tax: $5.03

ALDI Shopping Trip

  • 3 Avocados — $0.39 each
  • Honey Nut Oats — $1.19
  • 2 packages frozen broccoli — $1.19 each
  • Milk — $2.69
  • 2 packages frozen peas — $0.79 each
  • Dill pickles — $1.39
  • Vanilla — $3.55
  • Total with tax: $14.89

Total Spent This Week

Total spent on groceries this week: $68.13

Cashback Earned: 277 points earned from Fetch for buying Capri Sun & Pepsi & Talenti + $0.50 from iBotta for scanning 2 receipts.

Shared Aug 25, 2018 comment

Have you ever thought of becoming a virtual assistant?

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Have you ever thought of becoming a virtual assistant?

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Have you ever thought about becoming a virtual assistant? It’s a great way to make some extra money from home — especially if you’re just getting your blog off the ground! Or, maybe you’re an experienced blogger who would like to earn more on the side by using the skills you’ve developed to help others!

Carlee and Victoria are two busy moms who needed to earn an income from home in the margins of their days. Neither of them had time for sales parties or the cash on hand for minimum orders, and they both needed flexible hours that allowed them to keep staying home with their precious kiddos.

And they found it!

What Carlee and Victoria discovered (and what I know to be so true, too!) is that there are lots of small business owners who need help running day-to-day operations of their businesses. From posting to social media to writing emails and handling customer service, Virtual Assistants (or VAs) do it all.

And they do it from home.

During nap time, school time, early mornings or after bedtime, these moms work on their computers from the comfort of their homes – and earn an income doing it.

Carlee and Victoria got so many questions about their jobs that they couldn’t even answer them all. So they’ve put together a free class all about what they do, how they do it, and how you can join in, called Moms Work Hard: Earn an Income from Home Without Selling a Thing!

Their desire is empower moms to use skills they already have to work from home for years to come, changing the financial future of their families. They teach methods that not only have been proven by experience, but they also set up VAs and the business owners with support for sustainable, long-term growth.

Would you like to learn more about becoming a virtual assistant? Join us on Monday evening (August 27, 2018) at 8 p.m. CT/9 p.m. EST for a free class on how to earn an income from home as a virtual assistant.

In this class, you’ll learn:

  • How to find margin in your busy days to work from home
  • How to discover the skills you ALREADY have that you can use right away
  • 3 strategies to finding your first work-at-home job
  • How to get on track to positively change your family’s future
  • Plus, the three of us will host a live Q&A at the end to answer your burning questions! I hope you can join us!

Sign up for this free class on becoming a virtual assistant here.

I hope you can make it!

P.S. If you can’t make it live to the class, you’ll get a link to the replay if you sign up!

OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!

Click here to download!
Shared Aug 24, 2018 comment

Brigette’s $85 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

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Brigette’s $85 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 gallon Whole Milk – $1.36

1 48-oz bag Frozen Boneless Chicken Breasts – $5.39

1 2 1/2lb pkg Fresh 80/20 Ground Beef – $6.53

1 pkg Breakfast Ham – $2.99

1 pkg Pepperoni – $1.99

2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.38

2 12-oz bags Shredded Colby Jack Cheese – $3.30

1 12-oz bag Shredded Italian Cheese – $1.59

1 pkg String Cheese – $1.65

2 pkgs Cheese Wedges – $2.58

1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.65

1 pkg Hamburger Buns – $0.65

1 32-oz box Spaghetti Noodles – $1.09

1 box Honey Crunch Oats Cereal – $1.29

1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99

1 16-oz bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.69

1 pkg Baby Lettuce – $1.89

1 bag Green Grapes (2.23lbs @ $0.79/lb) – $1.76

2 Cauliflower – $3.58

1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.79

1 pkg Zucchini – $1.15

1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $1.49

1 3-lb bag Mandarins – $2.69

1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $3.59

1 bag Broccoli Crowns – $1.49

1 38-oz jar Ketchup – $1.09

1 box Squeezable Applesauce Pouches – $1.49

1 24-oz carton Lowfat Cottage Cheese – $1.59

1 32-oz carton Nonfat Greek Yogurt – $3.29

1 16-oz jar Apple Cider Vinegar – $0.99

2 1-lb cartons Butter – $3.98

1 dozen Eggs – $1.14 (We’ve been chicken-sitting for some friends who went on vacation – so we’ve been getting 8-12 fresh eggs everyday this past week)

1 24-oz jar Pasta Sauce – $0.85

Total: $70.97

Harris Teeter

1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $2.79

1 5-lb bag Pillsbury Bread Flour – $3.39

1 bag Spinach, reduced – $1.00

2 jars Vlasic Pickles – $4.00, used $1.00/2 Vlasic Pickles, Peppers or Relish – 6-24-18 SS (exp. 09/05/18) – $3.50/2 after coupons

3 boxes Cheerios – $5.91, used 3 $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – $2.91/3 after coupons

1 box Super Pretzels – $1.99, used $1.00/1 Super Pretzel Product 8-5-18 SS (exp. 09/16/18) – $0.99 after coupon

Total after Coupons – $14.58

Garden-Fresh Produce and Homemade Jam from a Friend – FREE 🙂

Grocery Total for the Week After Coupons – $85.55

Weekly Menu Plan

Breakfasts

Everyone is responsible for making and cleaning up their own breakfasts. Choices include:

Cereal, Fried/Scrambled/Boiled Eggs, Veggie Omelets, Fruit, Toast, Yogurt, Oatmeal

Saturday Morning I’ll be making Crustless Quiche for a Ladies’ Brunch

Lunches

PB and J Sandwiches, Applesauce, Cucumbers

Baked Soft Pretzels, Cheese Sticks, Cucumbers, Oranges

Baked Potatoes topped with Cottage Cheese and Shredded Cheese, Carrots, Oranges

Fried Eggplant, Apples, Cucumbers

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Spaghizza, Tossed Salad, Easy Italian Breadsticks

BBQ Meatballs, Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes, Butterhorns, Tossed Salad, Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli, Rhubarb Crisp (company for dinner)

Birthday Party for a Friend – Dinner Provided

Crockpot Italian Chicken, Roasted Parmesan Zucchini, Butterhorns

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Butternut Squash, Baked Potatoes, Fruit Salad

Shepherd’s Pie, Tossed Salad, Easy Whole Wheat Bread

Leftovers

Shared Aug 23, 2018 comment

My 7-Minute Shopping Trip to Kroger + more deals!

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My 7-Minute Shopping Trip to Kroger + more deals!

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 grocery budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).

For live updates, be sure to follow my Instagram Stories. See all posts on my $70 Grocery Budget here.

Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and we will be compensated if you click through and sign up. Read our disclosure policy here.

Since the kids are back to school and we only have two schools to do drop-offs at this year (instead of three different schools like last year), we have a little time in between dropping Kaitlynn and Silas off and when we need to drop Kathrynne off.

So she and I have been hitting Kroger during that time to see what deals and markdowns we can find (since there’s a Kroger right on our way!). We usually have about 7-10 minutes to get in, check for deals, check out, and get back to the car.

I hear from many people that they don’t have time to look for deals. Well, here’s proof that it doesn’t have to take a whole lot of time! 🙂

Tuesday Kroger Shopping Trip #1

I couldn’t get the coupons for the Talenti gelato to print before we left for school, so we stopped by Kroger on the way home from our Trivia Night with friends to pick up Talenti. Because hello? Talenti Gelato for just $0.59 is kind of a steal! 🙂

Tuesday Kroger Shopping Trip #2:

(And I didn’t get pictures — because it was late when we got home and I went to bed. Well, not before eating some gelato! ;))

I also got the BIC Xtra Sparkle Pencils — 48 pencils for just $8!

Thursday Kroger Shopping Trip

  • 3 bags of apples — marked down to $0.99 per bag
  • 5 boxes of Capri Sun — $1.29 each when you buy 5 participating items
  • Total with tax: $10.01

Total Spent This Week So Far

Total spent so far on groceries this week: $16.54

Total left to spend: $53.46

Cashback Earned: 115 + 51 points earned from Fetch for buying Capri Sun & Talenti + $0.25 from iBotta for scanning a receipt.

Shared Aug 23, 2018 comment

Last chance to get my new course for just $7!

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Last chance to get my new course for just $7!

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Are you feeling frazzled and frustrated right now? Maybe your house isn’t as clean as you wish it was. Perhaps your to do list feels too overwhelming? Or maybe you’re just tired of feeling tired and behind?

I want to help you stop wishing you could change your life! That’s why I created my new course, 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life.

In this course, you’ll get the tools and cheerleading you need to:

  • Stop the excuses and get up and change your life — one baby step at a time.
  • Get hands-on help to know what you need to do over a 4-week period to start doing less and getting more done.
  • AND have time, energy, and breathing room to invest your time and life into the people you love and the things you are passionate about.

Don’t take my word for it, though! Read these reviews from course participants (they were all unsolicited, by the way!):

Could you use some help simplifying your life like Lisa or realigning your priorities like Kristina or getting you/your kids out the door happy like Wendy? If so, head on over here and sign up for 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life.

Psst! It’s just $7 through midnight tonight. Yes, you read that right! That’s like paying just $1.75 per week for this 4-week course!

When you sign up, you’ll get:

  • Lifetime access to 4 one-hour pre-recorded coaching sessions with me! 
  • Weekly lessons with tips, strategies, and additional resources and encouragement to go along with that week’s coaching video!
  • Hands-on projects to complete each week to practically apply what you are learning!

>>Sign up for just $7 through midnight tonight!<<

I hope you’ll join us!

P.S. By the way, I share very honestly and vulnerably in this course about what our real-life schedule looks like and how I juggle all the things I juggle without feeling completely stressed or overwhelmed! This course is chock full of practical tips and hands-on help!

Shared Aug 22, 2018 comment

Get my brand-new course for just $7 today!

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Get my brand-new course for just $7 today!

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

My kids went back to school last week and I’m loving getting back to a good routine again! While I enjoy the flexibility that summer brings, I’m always ready for more order and consistency — and I can tell my kids were, too!

Do you wish you could have some help and hand-holding to set up and stick with a better routine? Do you wish you could be more intentional in how you spend your time? Do you feel like you spend a lot of your day running in circles but never really getting much done?

Do you wish you could have a kick in the pants to stop collecting great ideas and go out and actually start changing your life?

 

That’s why I created my course, 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life. I want to give you practical strategies to help you get up and take action!

If you’ve been around here and have a great memory, you might remember that I launched this as a LIVE course in January. We had such fantastic feedback on it, so we edited it and turned it into an evergreen course.

If you didn’t get a chance to sign up in January, you don’t want to miss out on this offer, because through Thursday evening at midnight only, we’re offering this very popular course for $10 off — making it just $7!

Yes, that’s right, you can get the entire 4-week course for just $7 total!

Go here to order 4 Weeks to a More Productive Life for $7 only!

Remember, the $7 price is only good today and tomorrow (August 22-23, 2018). After that, the price goes up to $17. Hurry!

P.S. Purchase with confidence! Our courses are backed by a 7-day tuition-back guarantee. If you enroll and decide this course isn’t right for you, let us know within 7 days and you’ll receive a full refund. No questions asked!

Shared Aug 21, 2018 comment

A big dream of mine come true!

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A big dream of mine come true!

Published: by on   |  This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Welcome to my series all about our recent family trip to South Africa in July. I’m recounting some of our favorite experiences, lessons we learned, travel tips, and some of the most memorable stories and takeaways. To read all of the posts in this series, click here.

One of the highlights of our trip to South Africa was getting to see a big dream of mine come to fruition. This story is years in the making. I’ve only been a part of it for the past 4 years. But it started well before that.

And you all played a really big part in this story, even though you may not have known it.

This beautiful lady standing right next to me is Elizabeth. She is one of the most vivacious, energetic, joyful, and faith-filled women I have ever met. She runs the Reagoboka Drop-in Centre and Early Childhood Development Centre — a centre founded by her mom many years ago that serves the most needy and vulnerable children in this community.

Elizabeth, her two sons, and Gogo Elizabeth

The first time I met Elizabeth and her mother, back in 2014, I was pretty blown away. Here’s what I wrote about that experience:

[When we pulled up to the] Reagoboka Drop-in Centre and Early Childhood Development Centre, sparks of hope came hitting at us from all directions. Elizabeth, the beaming leader of these centers came running out to greet us.

She was excitedly laughing and exclaiming over and over again about all of the wonderful things happening in their centers. She was the epitome of hope.

But here’s the thing: in many people’s eyes, she shouldn’t have hope. In fact, she should be exhausted, overwhelmed, and discouraged. She’s worked incredibly hard, managed what little she has well, and has poured out herself for her community.

In the process, she’s hit roadblock after roadblock after roadblock. Lisa-Jo shared more of her story tonight and you must go read it right now.

Because Elizabeth has chosen to persevere in spite of the odds, because she’s chosen to make the most of the little she has, because she’s chosen to do all she can to make an impact in her community, literally hundreds of children have been fed, cared for, loved on, and invested in over these past years she’s been running the home.

And we got to meet these children and we were blown away by the joy in their faces, the spark in their eyes, and zest they all have for life.

We played with the children, held the little ones, met the incredible team of Care Givers, asked lots of questions, saw their tiny facilities and how they are making the most of them for the 100+ children they currently help, and ate lunch with them.

The children were all smiles and hugs and the Care Givers were laughing and playing with the kids and exclaiming to us how much they loved working with the children and helping the community. All around, we saw hope bursting forth. I was contagious and inspiring.

And it was all because one woman chose to not be overwhelmed by her limited circumstances, but to do what she could, with what she had.

She has not only inspired and impacted countless families in this community, but her life will forever impact mine.

As I learned more of Elizabeth and Gogo’s story, I was humbled, inspired, and deeply moved. You can read a more detailed version of their story here, but the basic details are that this centre was started by Elizabeth’s mother and she was running it from her own home with her own pension money.

This centre provides nutritious food, educational support, social activities, leadership training, and discipleship and serves 100 to 200 of the most vulnerable kids in this community every week.

They didn’t have space in Gogo’s small house to teach and help all of these kids, but they made the decision to trust God and never turn a child away. They only had one small classroom so they would rotate classes — one class at a time — in order to accommodate all of the children with the little space they had.

God always provided for them. They gave the little that they had and it made such an impact.

The chief of their village saw what amazing work they were doing and gave them the land next door to Gogo’s house. When we visited in 2014, Gogo and Elizabeth shared this with me and told me how they believed God was going to provide a building for them.

They believed this so strongly that they had even drawn plans up for this building.

In our very affluent culture, it’s hard for us to wrap our heads around just how crazy this whole idea was. They barely had enough money to pay their basic expenses and were living in complete faith to have enough to pay for feeding and teaching all of these children who were coming to their centre. They didn’t know anyone who would be in a position to help them out financially or have the money to help them with this building.

But they had faith that God was going to provide.

And as I stood on the land with them and looked at the plans and heard their vision for this building, I knew God was calling me to step into this story and be a part of it.

I came home and Jesse and I talked about what this would look like. We decided to give away 25% of all of the proceeds from the Make Over Your Mornings launch.

Your purchases on that launch day helped pay for the bricks and the concrete and the local labor and the classroom supplies to build a brand-new two-room classroom! And we got to unveil it to the teachers and children on our second trip to South Africa in October, 2014. (Read all about that unveiling here.)

As I wrote on that trip:

It. Was. Amazing!!! To think that all of us together are having a little part in making a BIG difference in this community of very vulnerable children — it’s surreal, humbling, and goose-bump-inducing.

THANK YOU for partnering with me to be the hands and feet of Jesus on this project!!! I wish you could have been there to share in the excitement and see and hear the gratitude they expressed to us.

But a two-room classroom was just the start. We had hopes and dreams of building a large building that would house more classrooms, a kitchen, offices, storage, meeting rooms, and more. 

We designated a percentage of the profits from some more product launches to this, we gave money we had in savings, we got friends to help give toward this, and we prayed and did more product launches.

It was a much longer process than I had envisioned. When we went to South Africa for the third time (in September 2015), the building was close to finished, but still needed quite a bit of work and there were quite a bit more funds needed to finish it out.

But God continued to provide and continued to bless our business and put it on the hearts of others to give to the building fund, too.

And a few weeks ago, I got to stand in those beautifully completed buildings and see how God had brought me to South Africa four years ago to be the answer to Elizabeth and Gogo’s many prayers.

Gogo passed away this year, but not before getting to see the fulfillment and answer to her prayers in those buildings! We felt her presence and prayers there as we stood in the completed buildings and marveled at what God has done.

And here are some of the pictures from our trip… I think they speak more than words ever could!

Gogo’s house — where she and Elizabeth were running the centre out of!

The new buildings!

Here was the outdoor kitchen they were using before.

The above are pictures of the new kitchen — it was pretty amazing!

A peek inside the new building. Aren’t the colors so fun??

(Gogo’s picture is prominently displayed — and this tree has all of our family’s handprints on it!)

There is a conference room that they host different groups in as well as have staff meetings.

I get teary-eyed just looking at these photos. To think of what God has done. I never could have dreamed or imagined!

Also, if you have bought one of my products in the last few years or visited my site and signed up for an offer or bought through an affiliate link, you have been part of this story, too, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you! ❤️

Is there something you are being called to do that might feel really scary and uncomfortable? Step out in faith today and say “yes”. You never know how your willingness might end up being the answer to years of prayer from someone else!