AT HOME IN THIS LIFE with Jerusalem Greer

I wish I could remember how I first ran across Jerusalem Greer. I have been following and linking to her blog for years. Jerusalem is definitely a kindred spirit. I have enjoyed learning about her and her family over the years. As a Sunday School teacher, I often looked to Jerusalem for inspiration on how to celebrate different moments in the liturgical calendar. I was super excited when she released her first book, A HOMEMADE YEAR: THE BLESSING OF COOKING, CRAFTING, AND COMING TOGETHER. This book gave me so many wonderful ideas about how to celebrate different holidays and bring faith-based activities into my home. Another thing I love about Jerusalem is that she and I seem to have shared vision of how we would like our lives to look. She is further down the path than I am but I dream of a farm or home in the country and a simpler life for my family. While Jerusalem has touched on her own journey on her blog, she is now exploring it in further depth with her new book AT HOME IN THIS LIFE: FINDING PEACE AT THE CROSSROADS OF UNRAVELED DREAMS AND BEAUTIFUL SURPRISES. I feel like I am at a crossroads in my life right now and I cannot wait to read this book! I just finished Shauna Niequist's PRESENT OVER PERFECT and I feel that this is the next book I need to read.

In Jerusalem's own words:

"At Home in this Life is the story of how everything I thought would make me happy came undone, and then how I found a way to make myself at home in this beautiful, messy, amazingly tender, completely unbalanced life, by imperfectly practicing one spiritual discipline at a time—smack in the middle of raising kids, mending the sweaters and burning the bread."

Jerusalem's new book comes out in May but you can preorder now!

If you preorder the book, she is including a pre-order gift pack!

• 2 coloring sheets download
• 1 printable download
• 5 Digital Wallpapers
• Access to video tour of Jerusalem's Home and Farm
• Early Access to the At Home in this Life Etsy Curated Collection

To find out more about the preorder special, go here.

2017 Word of the Year

In 2011, I chose "remember."
In 2012, I chose "breathe."
In 2013, I chose "believe."
In 2014, I chose "thrive."
In 2015, I did not choose a word. I looked at the new year with fear and loathing.
In 2016, my words were "simplify" and "happiness."

For 2017, I have chosen the word "strength."

The end of 2016 was tough. It was hard to find motivation to do anything and I often became idle with despair. At the end of September, I started a new exercise program with Kaia Fit. I am tired of being overweight and weak. Slowly.....slowly.....slowly I am getting stronger. I want to be strong of body and heart in 2017. I want to stand strong in my convictions and my relationships and I want to find the strength to stand up to injustice wherever I find it and to be strong when others need me.

Here is hoping I find strength in all different forms in 2017.