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Extraordinary Living Through Scripture

How to have an extraordinary life - through Scripture | Land of Honey

Flipping open a random book at the library, this quote leaped off the page at me:
Tell children, to have an extraordinary life they should read the word every day.

I mean, wow...what an idea! It makes sense doesn't it? If we believe that faith, hope, healing, redemption, joy, peace, etc. come from the word of YHWH, then it certainly would be a wise investment of our time to find these things in order to live our best lives.

It's such robbery that society sends the message to all of us that living a good life means you have to be famous, have a high profile job, be really wealthy, or have a ton of friends. We can look at the divorce rate in Hollywood, the average life-expectancy of famous musicians (42 years), or the amount of celebrities checked into rehab and see that money and fame don't give you a good life. Being rich doesn't mean you're joyful or have peace and being famous doesn't mean you have healthy relationships. None of the things that the world deems as success means you are walking as YHWH wants or that you'll have eternal life.

On the flip side, no matter what someone's life looks like learning truth and how YHWH wants us to live will make their life better! Regardless of age, location, income, or whatever else, we all need the love, joy, and peace that come from the Holy Spirit, because that's how we have a good life: through relationship with our Savior. And that starts with learning his Word: what he says, his promises, what he says about us, instructions on how to live, and encouragement.

I was driving through town and reminded of how much Scripture can impact us. I wasn't really having a bad day, but I was beginning to feel a little frazzled. Several small frustrations had happened, and things were taking longer than I had planned...you know how things like this can turn into a bad day, if you let them? Well, I had just turned around because I realized I had forgotten something and I drove past a church in town that is known for their sign being...snarky. Well, this is the only time I can remember in my whole life they had a Bible verse on their sign. It said, "Hold onto hope, for he is forever faithful." I read that and it instantly brightened my day and I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. That day could have spiraled downward, but being reminded of truth stopped that. Just from reading one verse while driving past. Scripture really can transform a bad day into a great one, and it can inspire and equip you to live your best life. Who can't use more of it?

Who doesn't want more good days? Who can't use more peace in their life? Who doesn't need more wisdom about how to live? The place to get these things is Scripture!

Easy ways to read the Bible more and get more Scripture into your life | Land of Honey

Ways to get more Scripture in your life:

-Read it. Seriously, it's time to be done with excuses and start reading YHWH's word. Even if you're not great at reading or don't like to read, pick it up and start. It's so worth it! Even if you don't make it far or you go slow, it will impact your life.

-Sabbath. If you consistently read Scripture throughout the week that is awesome! Consider reading extra or doing some type of study on Shabbat. If you're not good about consistently being in the Word, start with making it a point to at least read on the Sabbath day.

-Make it a habit. Things are a lot easier once we have a pattern established, so make it a point to make reading Scripture a habit. Try reading first thing in the morning, after lunch, or as part of your nighttime routine. Figure out what works well for you and in about three weeks you should have a habit made if you stick to it!

-Listen to an audio Bible. I know there are plenty of times when reading isn't an option but you can still saturate yourself with the peace of the Word when you're driving, making dinner, playing with the kids, out for a run or whatever else you're doing. Listen to an audio Bible or a teaching on Scripture when your eyes and hands are occupied elsewhere. Even if you don't catch everything, it's better than nothing and can brighten up your day. It's also a great example to set for children or anyone else who sees this habit.

-Listen to music that focuses on Scripture. This is the same idea as listening to an audio Bible, you can do it at times when you can't sit down and read. But it has the added bonus of making Scripture verses easier to recall. I often have songs in my head while I'm working or running errands, so I'd much rather they be songs filled with truth! If you're working somewhere that plays the radio, put on a Christian station. If you're somewhere that is playing good music let them know how much you appreciate that.

-Leave your Bible out and open. This is a simple way to sneak in some reading. When I am busy I'm not going to go take a heavy Bible off the shelf when I don't have time to read it anyway. But if it's laying open on the counter? You can read a verse or two when you're on the phone, cleaning up, or packing lunches.

-Get a verse of the day app or set your homepage to a verse of the day website. You might as well make your screen time a more life-giving experience, right? Get an app that will pop up with a verse or find a pretty Scripture for your lock screen on your phone. Setting your internet browser's homepage to a Bible website will help to start your day off on the right foot. Make your desktop background a Scripture verse that encourages you, and share verses on social media to inspire others.

-Place Bible verses around your home. There are many beautiful printable Bible verses that are free or inexpensive. Get a few and place them around your home where you will see them...on the fridge, near the door you walk in and out of the most, the bathroom mirror, etc. If you have an office or desk space at work, put some there as well. Change or move them when they stop catching your attention.

-Put Scriptures on a chalkboard. Same idea as the printable verses but with the added opportunity memorization and meditation when you take the time to write it out. They are easy to make too, here's my DIY version.

-Be accountable. Do you struggle to find motivation to pick up your Bible? Joining a study group can help a lot! Jotting "Bible study" in your planner reminds you that you have some reading to do, plus it's nice to look forward to talking to others about it. You can also share your goal of reading more Scripture with family and friends and ask them to remind you and encourage you in it.

-Talk about it! Even living in a conservative Christian area, Scripture doesn't get brought up a lot. If that's going to change it starts with me. Make it a point to talk about a Bible verse or story at the dinner table or ask a friend what Scriptures have been on their mind lately. Or share what you have been learning or thinking about. It doesn't have to be in a 'thus sayeth' style and you don't need to quote the verse address anytime a spiritual discussion comes up. Practice talking about faith and Biblical truths naturally and it will impact you and your community.

If you want to have an extraordinary life then read Scripture every day! | Land of Honey

Feast of Trumpets Smoothie Bowls: Fun and Delicious Way to Celebrate Yom Teruah

Three bowls filled with blueberry smoothie and topped with the ends of ice cream cones, fresh fruit, and coconut flakes to look like shofars against the night sky. Text overlay reads: smoothie bowls to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets

Looking for a fun and festive way to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets? This recipe is such a fun DIY project to make for Yom Teruah or to teach kids about this special Biblical holiday in a way that's really engaging! Smoothie bowls are healthy and easy to make, and you can of course customize it to suit your preferences and the ingredients you have on hand. It can easily be made gluten free, vegan, or whatever else you may need. I used an ice cream cone as a shofar which makes it perfect for the Feast of Trumpets. The blue backdrop and lots of white and yellow toppings symbolize the search for the new moon, which marked the holiday in the Bible. Celebrate Trumpets in a fun way this year!

Make shofar smoothie bowls for the Feast of Trumpets | Land of Honey

You can use any smoothie or smoothie bowl recipe. I wanted mine to look blue since there is such an emphasis on looking for the new moon in the night sky for the Feast of Trumpets. I used blueberries and yogurt, but blackberries or elderberries or acai or blue majik spirulina could also make a blue smoothie. You can easily use whatever you like or have handy, and it's simple to adjust these for any dietary preferences or allergies.

Celebrating the Biblical holiday of Yom Teruah | Land of Honey

Night Sky Smoothie:
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 cups yogurt
1 tablespoon spirulina powder
1 tablespoon honey (or to taste for sweetness)

Put your blueberries in the blender and run the ice crushing setting for 30 seconds or so to break up the berries. This makes it easier to smoothly blend everything. (If you don't have this setting on your blender let them thaw for a few minutes before blending everything together.) Once your berries are mostly in small pieces, add the yogurt, spirulina powder, and honey and blend until smooth.

The spirulina is optional but it gives you a nutritional boost and also is responsible for the dark shade of blue. Without it the combination was more of a light purple.

Once your smoothie is blended, pour it into bowls and decorate.

Smoothie Bowl Recipe for the Feast of Trumpets | Land of Honey

To decorate I used:

Ice cream cones for shofars (use gluten free if necessary)
Blueberries
Calendula flowers
Peaches
Sliced apples
Melon
Chia seeds
Sesame seeds
Coconut flakes
Menorah cupcake toppers (from here)

Smoothie Bowl Recipe for the Feast of Trumpets - how to celebrate Biblical holidays | Land of Honey

You could use any fruit or berry, seeds, nuts, or edible flower. Granola or cereal works here, and so do sprinkles or chocolate. You can use cookie cutters to make fun shapes out of apple slices. A ten commandment gummie would be a great touch too. It's easy to make these exactly to your liking and everyone can decorate their own bowl. If you don't mind a thinner smoothie base, you can even make the smoothie the day before and keep it in the fridge, along with sliced fruit for topping.

I hope you have fun making these smoothie bowls!

How Scripture Says to Handle Anxiety

What does the Bible say about how to handle feelings of anxiety or panic? Many people write off concerns about anxiety and depression by simply instructing to just pray about it, when Scripture gives more insight and direction than that! We are going to take a look at what the Bible says, so that we can know how to handle anxious feelings.

Caroline Leaf says, "When God said he gave you a sound mind he wasn't joking." But what do you do when you're not feeling that? It's no secret that anxiety and depression have skyrocketed in recent years. And obviously, life is stressful and sometimes our concerns can feel overwhelming. It's normal to feel that way sometimes, but if we don't know how to handle anxiety and depression that can be a vicious cycle to try and break free from. So what do we do?

Did you know that Scripture tells us exactly how to deal with this?

"Do not worry at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to YHWH." -Philippians 4:6

"Don't worry about it," That's definitely easier said than done, but when Paul said this he meant it. Mentally running through 'what ifs' and worst-case-scenarios does absolutely nothing beneficial for us. It's a miserable way to spend time and it's definitely a downward spiral of negativity that's hard to get out of. So how do we stop this when we're worried? Take a look at the rest of the sentence: start praying and be thankful!

If you're in a bad situation, pray about it and ask YHWH to help you get through this in a healthy way. Ask him to transform your thinking so you can look at things from his perspective. Ask him to show you what he's doing in this and in you. Thank him for his promise to work all things together for good. Praise him for his faithfulness. Pray that others would have their eyes opened to truth through this. Ask him to help you trust in him and have peace in this.

And don't miss the "with thanksgiving" factor. Start thinking about what you do have to be thankful for...and get really specific with the details. Start with small things like seeing flowers growing outside or wearing your favorite top, and go from there. When you're having a bad moment this is a great reset, reminding you that while you may have had a rough shift at work or bad ten minutes your life isn't bad. There are good things. Literally count your blessings by making a list to look over when it's hard to remember.

"And the peace of YHWH, which surpasses all understanding, shall guard your hearts and minds through the Messiah." -Philippians 4:7

Maybe you're skeptical about prayer being helpful or don't see a point in mentally enumerating things to be thankful for. That's okay. YHWH's peace goes right on over our understanding. It might not make sense, but thanks to the Messiah, that's how it works. I like the bit about this peace guarding us. This compounds. Start praying and being thankful when you don't feel like it, and peace will come in and you will be better protected for next time something stressful comes up.

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is righteous, whatever is clean, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there is any uprightness and if there is any praise - think one these." -Philippians 4:8

Literally. Do this. Think about good and lovely things. Happy family memories. Visiting a beautiful garden. Think about the dreams you have for your life. Memorize an encouraging verse. Make up plans for a dream home or vacation. Remember your time at a beautiful lake or in the mountains. Scripture tells us that we need to take our minds off the negative and sad thoughts and replace them with good things. Don't just take a two minute prayer break and go back to focusing on the difficult or disappointing. Work to reroute your focus to righteous and clean things. Fill your mind with Biblical truth. Maybe you make a list of things to turn to. You could read a favorite book or watch a happy movie. The things you direct your thoughts to absolutely affect your emotional state.

"And what you have learned and received and heard and saw in me, practice these, and the YHWH of peace shall be with you." -Philippians 4:9

So all the stuff we just went over? Put that into practice, even when you're not feeling down or anxious. Think of things that you're thankful for from each day. Pray continually. Ask YHWH to help you have a grateful heart. Make it a point to find encouragement and peace in Scripture. Don't inundate yourself with garbage from television or toxic people, instead let your thought life be filled with the righteous and the lovely.

Try these things and see YHWH work in your life!

Image is a man's arms in a black sweatshirt, resting on warm-toned wooden desk. He is holding a mug in one hand and an open Bible is resting on the desk between his arms. Text overlay reads: How the Bible Says to Handle Anxiety | Land of Honey

Ark Encounter Tour - Part 2

Back today with part two of my photos from visiting the Ark Encounter. Even with all of these pictures I don't feel like this really does the Ark justice. It is just so big with so many things to see, each of which is a masterpiece itself. If you are ever near Williamstown, Kentucky I would highly recommend stopping by to see the Ark!

These ramps were how you went from floor to floor in the Ark.

Obviously, Noah and his family had carpentry skills enough to build the Ark but they must have been talented in many other things as well. Everything from animal care to midwifery and healthcare to farming to making things like soap, blankets, and bread. Stone-working and metal working. Probably writing and artistic abilities as well.

Directions for the Ark in Scripture!

The center of the ark was open so that light could come down from the windows above.

Wow, was this an incredible piece! It was a timeline of world history, broken off by different civilizations and cultures. It would take hours to go over the entire thing. After we got home a friend told us you could buy a copy in the gift shop.

YHWH in Hebrew - Ark Encounter | Land of Honey

The yod-hey-waw-hey. YHWH in Hebrew.

Visiting the Ark Encounter | Land of Honey

Before seeing the beautiful living quarters I had sort of pictured Noah and his family huddled together in the dark surrounded by animals, with sleeping bags, and maybe a pot of soup. But there's no reason to believe they would not have put care into designing their own living space. They spent six months on the Ark, possibly longer if they lived on it for any time before or after the flood.

Seriously - what craftsmanship! Interesting to think about too is that they chose all the relics that survived the flood. Practical things like tools and clothing were on board but they were also entrusted with the entire library of their age, hence Noah's library.

The kitchen area. They would have brought along produce that stores well. See those carrots on the left? Orange carrots are actually a pretty recent creation in the world so I was pleased to see they had the older red variety.

Who ever thought of there being a kitchen on the Ark? Of course they would have needed a space to prepare meals for themselves and maybe even to break down vegetables for the animals. They even included something similar to a tandoori oven on board.

Potting bench with space for drying herbs.

I absolutely loved this - indoor gardening! There was an explanation that the light that came in from the top of the Ark could have been used to grow foods like lettuces for Noah's family. Or even just to keep plants alive for replanting after the flood.

Explanations of other culture's flood legends.

The proposed methods of survival in the legends. There were many details about why these would not have worked but the Ark in Scripture would have!

There was a special exhibit of various Bible manuscripts when we visited.

Near the end this exhibit explains salvation.

The dove coming back with the olive branch.

To give you a better idea of the massive size of the Ark - the first floor is underneath the structure! It was so moving to see the Ark built to scale and like I said, there are so many things I didn't even get pictures of. There are more exhibits, two theaters, pony rides, a zoo, restaurant, and a huge gift shop. I am so glad we had the opportunity to visit!

See part one photos here.

Tour the Ark Encounter - Part 1

Not long ago we had the chance to travel to Kentucky to check out the Ark Encounter. Let me tell you, there is nothing like pulling up and seeing the massive size of the Ark! Even with Noah's Ark being such a familiar story for most of us you can't really grasp the enormity of what that would have looked like until you see it built to scale. It was amazing to see in person how the ark would have looked and how it could have operated. Because of how many pictures I have to share I'm breaking this up into two posts, and even then there is so much more to see! Ready for a look?

For perspective, that red dot on the other side of the lake is a person. That ramp is built for vehicles to drive on.

There were gift shops, coffee stands, and music stages outside. Most of these were closed during our visit in early April (We went during Matzah Week).

Standing beneath the ark and looking up.

Cages for smaller animals and containers for water.

What it could have looked like to store the amount of grains needed to feed the animals.

While Scripture provides many specifics about the construction of the ark, we are left to wonder at how the inside might have looked with practicalities like animal cages, food storage, living quarters for Noah's family, objects they might have brought along, and so on. They emphasized that what you see is their interpretation of what that could have looked like and how things might have worked.