Movie Review - Mom's Day Out

Mom's Night Out

For Mother's Day our daughter and son-in-law surprised us by taking us out to see the endearing, faith-based, family comedy Mom's Night Out. And I tell you what...I have not laughed that hard since I don't know when. Funny? Yes! But...more than that...ohmygoodness! It is so true to life!

The story focuses on Ally (Sarah Drew) and her stressed out friends...best friend, Izzy (Andrea Logan White), and pastor's wife, Sondra (Patricia Heaton), each of whom is battling their own unique set of circumstances within the home. 

The girls get together in hopes of connecting as adults, and treating themselves to a special evening out, but, instead, the evening is interrupted by a chain of events that totally unravels the girls' nerves. Although the events that transpire are totally unlikely to happen in real life (at least not altogether in a single series in the space of one evening), they are comical (make that hysterical) and perfectly in line with great comedy throughout the ages. 

Mom's Night Out is a fun movie that sprinkles glimmers of spiritual truth throughout and, in the end, leaves you, as a mom, knowing that you are not alone in your struggles and that, no matter how you perceive them, people are just people. For that reason alone, that makes Mom's Night Out one of the best movies ever in this mom's opinion!

And, as funny as it was, the humor really isn't what makes the movie. It's the fact that the story captures the true heart of parenting. Whether small children or teens, at different stages, and in different seasons, we all face our individual battles in parenting. This movie brings the very things that each and every one of us face on a daily basis, in real life, and puts them into perspective.

Oh, I know! I've heard that critics everywhere are bashing Mom's Night Out, but, you know what? They can bash away! I, personally, have lived Ally's stay-at-home, Christian, homeschooling-mommy life, and know countless others who have done (or are doing) the very same thing right now. THIS is the stuff that REAL life is made of, Ladies, and I cannot praise the makers of this film enough for knowing our hearts, taking all this on, and bringing this movie to fruition for our enjoyment. WHAT a breath of fresh air!!!

If you haven't seen Mom's Night Out yet, grab a friend, and/or take the children, and go see it! You will NOT regret it! 

Until next time...

All My Love,
~Rebecca

#MomsNightOut, #Christianmovies

One Thousand Gifts - #50 loyalty, #51 the ability to overcome, and #52 togetherness

Book Review: Women Living Well - Finding Your Joy In God, Your Man, Your Kids, and Your Home by Courtney Joseph

Women Living Well by Courtney Joseph

"Women desire to live well. However, living well in this modern world is a challenge. The pace of life, along with the new front porch of social media, has changed the landscape of our lives. Women have been told for far too long that being on the go and accumulating more things will make their lives full. As a result, we grasp for the wrong things in life and come up empty. 

Mommy-blogger Courtney Joseph is a cheerful realist. She tackles the challenge of holding on to vintage values in a modern world, starting with the keys to protecting our walk with God. No subject is off-limits as she moves on to marriage, parenting, and household management.

There is nothing more important than fostering your faith, building your marriage, training your children, and creating a haven for your family. Women Living Well is a clear and personal guide to making the most of these precious responsibilities."

I have just finished reading Courtney Joseph's Women Living Well - Finding Joy in God, Your Man, Your Kids, and Your Home, and I got so much more out of it than I ever thought possible. Page after page...chapter after chapter...I was astounded at the depth of spiritual wisdom and insight that radiated from the pages of this beautiful, and well-written, book.

The book has 226 pages. Each of the four main sections are comprised of five chapters each, and covers, not only a woman's personal walk with the Lord, but her marriage, her parenting, and homemaking. Courtney's love for, and her commitment to, Jesus, and her close, personal "Walk with the King" comes shining through in every chapter.

I recommend this book to Christian women everywhere...young or old...no matter what season of life they might find themselves in. There is, literally, something to be gleaned for everyone!





"COURTNEY JOSEPH is a long-time Bible study leader and founder of  WomenLivingWell.org and WomenLivingWell.tv and cofounder of GoodMorningGirls.org. Courtney is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute. She is married to her high school sweetheart and homeschools her two children."

Book Review: Mother's Faith by Mrs. Sharon White

Mother's Faith by Mrs. Sharon White
Essays, Lamentations, and Encouragement
From a Christian Mother of Waywards

I ordered Mrs. Sharon White's book, Mother's Faith, quite some time ago, read a few entries, then laid it aside in my 'books to read' pile.

The past year and a half has been extremely difficult for our family in many ways, but dealing with a wayward child has been the most difficult and painful of all experiences thus far for me as a mother to deal with. We didn't go through 98% of the stuff with our older children that we have gone through with our youngest. I now know, in part, what I must have put my own mother through and I am sorry. I wish I could tell her so.

In many ways I blame myself for many of the things that have happened. I have fallen so terribly short of all that God has created me to do and be, and have fallen into all sorts of attitudes and actions that are 100% diametrically opposed to all that I want, and am created, to be. There have been bad days, terrible days, unbearable days, and days that I honestly thought that it would be better to for me to leave than subject my family to the woman that has surfaced in the face of adversity.

BUT...the other evening I was going through some things and there was Mother's Faith. I picked it up and thought, "How timely!" I flipped through the pages and, even though I remembered reading a couple of the first entries before, I began that very moment at the beginning and ended up reading half the book that evening and the other half last night. There was more help packed into that little book than in all the things that I've read in the last year put together!

First of all, I realized that, as a mother, I am not alone in what I've been going through with my child. Mrs. White touched on the very things that I struggle with on a daily basis...a heart that is constantly breaking, weeping more and more, being paralyzed by sorrow, carrying a burden that is too heavy for a mother to bear alone, and encouraged me to take it to, and leave it, with God.

Mrs. White reminded me of what I, way too often forget and that is...no matter what our troubles are...no matter what Goliaths we face...or trials that our children face..."...the battle is the Lord's..." (1 Samuel 17:47).

And, painful as it may be, Mrs. White made me fully aware of something that, as a mother, I'm sure none of us want to acknowledge, but must, especially if we are going to get to a place of true intercession on their behalf. My child is a sinner. Every person born is born with a sin nature and my child, like myself, will battle against that sin nature each and every day for the rest of his life. It will cause him a great deal of pain and suffering and, as his mother, it will hurt me, too.

Yet, in the midst of it all, through the pages of her book, Mrs. White offered me good, sound, and practical ways to deal with all of it in a godly manner. Not only as to how to deal with the wayward child, but how to deal with myself as his mother.

If you are the mother of an older child or children, I would highly recommend reading this wonderful little book by Mrs. Sharon White.

The back cover of the book says...

"A little book of hope for the difficult years of Mothering older children.

A collection of essays from a homeschooling mother of five, who has suffered through heartbreak and worry over her teenagers and young adults.

Here you will find encouragement, hope, and support in your efforts at raising a godly generation in this difficult world.

From "Sitting Alone at the Kitchen Table," to "How a Godly Mother May Guide an Imperfect Family" in 13 steps, you will read about real life and the source of real happiness while waiting for your children to grow in the Lord.

This small book will inspire courage for the weary mother.

Forget about harsh ideas when dealing with teenagers. We need mothers who will guide their children with holy love and patience."

For more information about this book and more from Mrs. White, visit her blog, The Legacy of Home, by clicking...HERE.

Good FRIDAY Morning!

Good morning, dear friends! I pray that this post finds you healthy, happy, and serving the Lord with gladness!

What a busy week this has been! I have so many things on my heart and mind that I want to share with you, but, thus far, it just isn't happening. I am praying that the Lord opens up a window of time soon (perhaps over the weekend?) that will allow me a few precious hours to just come in here, open up my heart, share, and fellowship with you. What a blessing that would be!

In the meantime...here's something to think about and consider...

Last night while I was doing my devotional, I was reading Nancy Campbell's '100 Days of Blessings' and I came across this:

Nancy Campbell of Above Rubies says...

"Recently a book was published by a radical feminist and published by Beacon Press, which promotes homosexuality and anti-Christian dogma. The author wrote this book to expose Biblical patriarchy and fruitful motherhood. In this book she states that the parents who embrace children are a "a movement we ignore at our peril." In a message to Barrack Obama, she writes, "Fearless Leader - forget the fundamentalists in Iraq; these prolific Christians are the real bad guys!" In other words, fruitful mothers, embracing the children God wants them to have are dangerous! They scare the feminists!


The enemy, who hates life, who comes "to rob, kill and destroy" is scared of the godly seed! Mothers who are not deceived by the delusions of Satan, the robber of life, and who still believe in God's very first mandate to mankind are dangerous people! Isn't that exciting? You may think you are insignificant as you care for your children in your home each day, but mother, lift up your eyes! You are doing a powerful work. You are doing God's work. You are dangerous to the enemy. He is scared of you, because he is scared of the godly seed coming into this world that will hate evil and love righteousness, who will destroy the works of the devil and who will lift up the name of  Jesus. And those who walk in deception and follow the devil's ways are scared of you too!"

Isn't that interesting? My question to you is this: have you ever truly thought of yourself as "dangerous"? Are you dangerous? Are you one of those mothers who have devoted your life to raising up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? Are you raising up godly seed unto the Lord...mighty warriors who will impact the world for Him?

If you're one of those beautiful, precious mothers and you're feeling like less than who you are...who God made you to be...then you need to take a step back and see yourself for who and what you are...and that, my dear, is dangerous...dangerous to the kingdom of Satan and dangerous to the powers of darkness!  Embrace your position and walk in it!

Well, that's all have time for right now. You all have a beautiful Friday and a lovely weekend! Hopefully, I'll find opportunity to be back with you soon and share all (or some of all) that is on my heart and mind. Take care and God bless!

All My Love,
~Rebecca