Uncategorized - Monica Ritchie

Cultivate

March 2, 2020 by Monica Ritchie

Every year I choose a word to focus on, you can read about the process of how I go about this HERE. However, for 2020 I felt God place not just a word, but two scripture verses and one spiritual practice on my heart. The word I felt God land on my heart was the word cultivate. Typically, I would do a word study, but the Bible doesn’t use the word “cultivate” like we would. Instead, I took the opportunity to look at what God may be asking me to cultivate around, as well as within myself. Scripture Verses + Spiritual …

In a world that increasingly values numbers; know that never determines your worth.

February 27, 2020 by Monica Ritchie

It’s not a matter of IF you’ll be tempted, it’s more a matter of WHEN. When that happens, how will you respond? In Matthew 4 before Jesus begins his earthly ministry, we see Jesus going out into the desert. It is here that he has fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. He is hungry. The tempter (ie Satan, the devil, the evil one) comes to him and tempts him. He says “turn these stones into bread” to that Jesus answers “It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from God.” Jesus, …

Blooming in God’s Timing

February 7, 2020 by Monica Ritchie

I’ve been saying “no” to a lot of opportunities lately. A lot of really great opportunities. I have also been hearing “no” or “not yet” on a lot as well. That feels hard, it feels like rejection. It feels stagnant in an ever evolving space. But God is reminding me, much like I cannot force open the petals of my peonies to bloom, I cannot force open His plans or His timing for me. ‘Bloom where you’re planted’ is a popular mantra and typically, I’m not one to gravitate towards such things, however, this one, I’m digging into. I’m called …

Two Questions To Ask When Your Child Is Hurting

February 7, 2020 by Monica Ritchie

Question : When Does Momma Love you? Answer : All the time. Question : Who Loves you the most? Answer: Jesus As our kids get bigger, their hurts get bigger. They become more complex, more emotional. No less real of course, but feels different – bigger. And when your kid hurts, oh my, does it break a momma heart. 2 Here are two Questions to ask your kids when they’re hurting. 1. When does Momma love you? and I make them, I taught them to answer “All the time”. My hope is that this reminds them that when they hurt, …

Purpose Vs. Identity

January 29, 2020 by Monica Ritchie

There’s a lot of cultural connotations around both what our purpose is as well as what our identity is or should be. As I’ve continued to explore them both from my faith perspective, I’ve come to the conclusion that they very much need to be kept separate. We live in a culture that quite literally tells us we can be anything we want. Anything. I began to ask myself how then is it that I define either my purpose or identity? Or both? I’ve come to the conclusion that purpose is ever changing. Our purpose shifts with time. Sometimes it …

Fruitfulness Vs. Happiness

January 23, 2020 by Monica Ritchie

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about fruitfulness vs. happiness and how they don’t necessarily go hand in hand. We see a lot of #thehappynow hashtag trending on social media and that’s not wrong. But what about when the path we’re on isn’t necessarily happy, but it’s fruitful? I have been in a season the past few months, one circumstance I’m in doesn’t make me super happy, but I know it will make me fruitful. So, I endure. I persevere the very best I can. Put in that hard work, and truthfully, amongst the struggle, I find deep joy. As …

Rest

January 23, 2020 by Monica Ritchie

Do you trust God enough to rest? I’m not just talking about in this “busy season” either. But, even outside of your busy season – do you trust God enough to rest? God has been showing me these past few months just how important rest is, and really, it’s an act of worship to rest. To press the pause button on “the hustle” and “grind” and trust God enough to take what you can do by your own human efforts and multiply it by His hands. So truly, be honest, what’s your rest life like? Mine hasn’t been the greatest …

Start Before You’re Ready

January 19, 2020 by Monica Ritchie

“Start before you’re ready” that’s what I had written on a post it note and stuck on my desk before I started blogging. Because if I had waiting until I was ready, I’d never do it. I have heard so much about how people want to do this or that, follow their dreams and do “the thing” but they’re just too afraid, they’re just not sure. I get it, I’ve been there too, but the only way to know, the only way to do it, is to start! Even before you’re ready! The reality is, is that you’re going to …

Enough?

January 15, 2020 by Monica Ritchie

You. Are. Enough. But what if you’re not. We hear that phrase so much these days, and I understand the sentiment behind it, I do. But here is a pretty unpopular truth, we’re not enough. We really nevere will be. So what about this, what if we’re not enough and that’s just fine! That’s actually more than fine, in fact, it’s great! Because here’s the deal, you were never asked to be enough and everything. Trying to be saying you are is unrealistic and potentially stifling to The One who is. I know I fall short every day. There is …

7 Days of praying for your Child

June 25, 2019 by Monica Ritchie

While there are so many areas of our children’s life we could and should be praying for and over, here is a list to get you started. One prayer for each day of the week and over time you can begin to shift and add more specific prayers to the needs of your child. 1.Seek First the Kingdom of God : The first Commandment God gives to His people is to place no other God’s before Him. God asks the same of us today. That we keep Him first in our hearts. I pray these scriptures over my child in hopes …

To Have and to Hand Hold

July 19, 2018 by Monica Ritchie

I don’t know about you, but we’ve reached the point in the summer where the excitement of being together all day everyday is becoming a little less than consistent beams of pure joy and delight. I’m not speaking just for myself but for my kids as well. They’re tired of seeing my mug all day and a little less than enthused at times to see each others. I had shared that at one point, one kid was upset because the other wouldn’t give them a long enough smell of their stuffed animal. Yup, a long enough smell. Bet you …

The Mercy Pass

February 19, 2018 by Monica Ritchie

Parenting is hard, like, really hard. I am by no means an expert. I still have little littles and I want to be clear I have not mastered nor will I ever master this gig. I am forever learning and growing in my parenting. However, I do want to share with you something that has been a God send to me over the past year. It’s called The Consequence Jar. Its nothing fancy and I’m sure you’ve heard of them before and seen them scattered throughout Pinterest. It’s a mason jar (or any kind of jar) with strips of paper …