Hello Friends,

Happy Autumn! I apologize for my silence on the blog this month. Our travels have taken us to North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia this month. As much as I wanted to remain consistent with regular blog posts, it just didn’t happen. When we haven’t been on the road, I have felt the need to rest and rejuvenate. However, I feel so ready to get back into the swing of blogging – so be prepared for lots of posts in October. 😉

Today, I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine who has already taught me so much! She was kind enough to spend time answering questions for another Titus Two Tuesday post and I know you will be blessed by what she has to share.

I met Sarah last summer when our church group helped their church host a Vacation Bible School. It was such a fun trip, and I remember Sarah and I hit it off right from the start. Through getting to know each other we’ve discovered we share many of the same interests – including homemaking, reading, and blogging! Sarah and her husband were kind enough to open up their home for us on our first official deputation trip! She has a lovely home and guest room that is the epitome of hospitality. ♥ I’ve been blessed getting to know Sarah, and I know you will be too! I’ll turn the rest of today’s post over to her!

Titus Two Tuesday | A Q&A With Sarah Boots

Meet Sarah

Hi, I’m Sarah!

Wife, mom, mother of one, and praying for more! I love to read and write! I am an introvert, and if I had a choice, I’d prefer to always stay home. My passion is all things homemaking! I love making a cozy, comfortable home atmosphere, creating beautiful memories for my family and anyone who enters our home, and raising our daughter to grow up to love and serve Jesus. I want to love and serve people through our home and teach others to do the same! I love teaching! I used to teach in a private Christian school, but now I just try to teach through whatever platform I can, mostly Instagram (and hopefully soon a blog).

Do you have a favorite Bible verse or passage of Scripture? Why is it special to you?

I don’t have one specific favorite, but it seems like the Lord gives us just what we need exactly when we need it, doesn’t He? When my daughter was 18 months old (She’s almost 6 now), she started throwing multiple temper tantrums a day–the kicking, the screaming, the back arching, the throwing herself on the floor–you know what I’m talking about right?! And each one was worse than the one before! I know you moms get it…I was so exhausted and at my wits end because how we were dealing with her, even though I believe was right, WAS NOT WORKING! It was a very trying time. The continuous tantrums lasted for three weeks. Now under normal circumstances, three weeks seems like nothing, but you moms know, just one day of tantrums can make a mother batty! This was really the first time I realized how desperately I needed God to help me raise this little girl! During those times of desperation, God laid Galatians 6:9 on my heart and comforted me through these words of hope, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Oh my soul, was I weary! And ohhh was I ready to faint! But I was comforted in the fact that the training I was doing was something good (it was well doing), but I would not see the benefits until years down the road, and that was only if I did not faint! My child is one of those gems that seems to get worse as time goes on, rather than better. Every day I am at my wits end begging God for wisdom and help because I just don’t know what to do, and each time he whispers, “Be not weary in well doing, Sarah, you will reap if you faint not!. The reaping may not be right now, it may not be next year, but you WILL reap. Don’t quit!”

How do you prioritize prayer and Bible reading – especially when life is busy?

By making a it a non-negotiable…determining in my heart, that no matter what, I am going to have a quiet devotion time. It’s at the top of my list, and if nothing else happens, that is going to happen. To be truthful, life does happen. I sleep in, I’m sick, my daughter is up in the middle of the night, we have people staying with us, we are on a weird schedule, and sometimes there can be little hiccups in the morning devotion routine. If this is the case, I determine to take a moment of quiet as soon as I can. This might be in the afternoon or even before bed. There is nothing–NOTHING in the whole wide world–as important as our relationship with Christ. Seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God… In the ministry, whether it’s ministry in the home, or ministry in the local church, we cannot expect to be used of God if we do not have God with us. So much of the Christian life takes SO MUCH wisdom and strength, and it does not come anywhere except from spending time with Him. I once read an illustration that stuck with me about quiet time. The author said that just like a rudder (unseen and unheard) controls a massive ship, so must our quiet devotion time (also unseen and unheard) control and guide our lives. It’s that time spent with God that no one sees, that will give us the quiet strength to face whatever the day may bring us.

What piece of advice or encouragement would you like to share with other married women?

If you want a happy marriage, you must have a right relationship with the Lord above all else! I’ve heard a happy marriage is like a triangle, with God at the top and the husband and wife each at a bottom corner. The closer the husband and wife draw to God, the closer they draw to each other. I think that is a perfect picture! I always find if I am struggling in my relationship to God, then my relationship with my husband also suffers. 🙁

And on a more practical note, flirt with your husband. 😉 Write him little notes as simple as “I love you!” on a napkin or sticky note and stick it in his lunch box. Send him a text message during the middle of the day. Have a smile on your face and give him a kiss when he walks in that door after a hard day of work. He will love you even more if you treat him extra special. 🙂

I was recently reading over a letter my husband had written to me before we were married when he was 19. He said, “I dream of the day I can come home from a hard day of supplying for my family to a hot meal…to a tender kiss…to a dainty set of hands to massage my aching muscles. To my gorgeous wife who has enough homemaker in her for fifty households, and yet pours every ounce of her skill into OUR home. You work all day…but no matter what time I return home, your are there waiting for me with your arms open to hug me, and your heart open to love me. I would give anything to have a love like this.” When I read this a few weeks ago, it hit me like a ton of bricks! Here in front of me is exactly what he needs in a wife! I have in his very own writing what his yearnings are for his “perfect” wife. Oh how I have failed so many times over the years! But reading these words gave me a new desire to work harder at being just what he needs. And if we were to be completely honest, his words probably summarize the feelings of most men. What man wouldn’t want a tender kiss and hug from his beautiful wife when he gets home from work? A nice meal with the whole family together, a wife who pours herself into THEIR home? a nurse to take care of him when he is sick or aching? I would venture to say that most of us are married to men who work extremely hard to take care of their families. How are we thanking them? How are we blessing them? Marriage is not about giving and taking…it’s all about giving.

How would you encourage mothers to “love their children”?

Oh I just love this question mostly because this is something that can be a struggle when your children are driving you nuts and you just want to either pull your hair out or lock yourself in a closet and just be alone! My daughter is very naughty. She is constantly getting into trouble like painting the ground, the dog, and the side of the house, turning lights off in the auditorium in the middle of church when she went out to use the restroom, and locking her pastor uncle out of his office when he was in a rush to leave. To be honest she can really be an annoyance not only to her parents, but to everyone around her. I used to get so frustrated at how annoying she was! It seemed like I held this constant grudge, and I STRUGGLED really and truly “loving” her–or maybe better said, showing my love to her. And then one day it dawned on me…if she annoys everyone including me, who does she have cheering her on, encouraging her, seeing her true potential? This thought broke me. If I as her own mother can’t see the possibilities of her little life–how God can turn that stubborn and wild streak into a stubbornness for right and for pleasing God–then she has nobody. Sometimes we mamas get so blinded and sidetracked because of the constant difficulty of dealing with them right now, that we completely forget about eternity. If we raise them with eternity in view, then they will live for God, see souls saved, be involved in church, and raise our grandchildren in the same way, and we will all be together in heaven someday! How is that for eternal rewards?!

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” “Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” –Michelangelo  

Our children have so much potential! It’s up to us as their mamas to discover that potential and unlock it!

Maybe you have a child that is “hard” to love? This article has been a huge help to me in loving a difficult child, and maybe you’ll find it to be a help to you as well.

What is your favorite thing about homeschooling and why? Any homeschooling tips?

I am only a couple of years into it, but I we absolutely love it! I love homeschooling because it has been a special bonding time with my daughter. Thankfully she loves to learn, and school is [mostly] an enjoyable time. I also love that it’s flexible. We can do school wherever and whenever, and can easily adjust the schedule or take days off if needed. 

Top tip (but just remember it’s coming from a newbie)–don’t stress too much about it! You are capable of teaching your children even if you don’t have any sort of teaching degree. You just have to exhibit a love of learning yourself and really enjoy the process with your kids. If they see mom loving it, they will love it. If mom is stressed out and hating the process, they will also hate the process!

What’s your best homemaking or time management tip?

Haha! I used to be a very disciplined person with a detailed day planner and well thought out schedule….then I became a mom, and things started falling apart. To be honest, I have really struggled with time management the last couple of years! 🙁 Everyone is different, but I am most productive when I have a checklist for each day. I’ve been failing miserably at that. I need to get back at it again!

Next best tip is to stay off the phone and social media first thing in the morning and last thing before bed at night and really as much as possible during the day. The phone and internet can just suck up time from right under your nose!

What’s your favorite meal to make for dinner?

I have a really hard time picking a favorite (loaded baked potatoes might be my favorite), but my husband LOVES when I make Million Dollar Spaghetti (similar recipe).

Are there any books that have had a big impact on your life that you would encourage other women to read?

I absolutely love reading, and it seems like every book I read has some sort of impact on my life. Here are some of my top recommendations that I have read recently:

Mother Culture by Karen Andreola (The front cover mentions for a happy homeschool, but honestly, this book is great for all mothers whether you homeschool or not.)

12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You by Tony Reinke (This is a must-read for every Christian who owns a smart phone, and especially for every Christian who has anything to do with social media.)

Training Your Children to Turn Out Right by David Sorenson (This book is by far one of the best child training books I have ever read. Every chapter is filled with what God has to say about raising your children.)

The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie (This book will be a huge encouragement to you to read aloud to your kids. So many benefits!)

I can’t get through talking about book recommendations without talking about my absolute favorite book app of all time! It’s called Hoopla. It’s a free app that your library may offer. You have to enter your library card and connect to your library, and then you’ll have access to a ton of books and audio books. Hooplais by far my favorite app for audio books because they have an amazing up-to-date selection with top notch voice actors. The downer is that not all libraries offer it, but it’s definitely worth it to check out your library and see if they offer it. It will be a valuable asset to your family! We use Hoopla multiple times a day for audio books…both for kids and adults. A couple of the books mentioned above are on Hoopla.

Here are a few of my favorite children’s audio book series on Hoopla:

• Little House Series narrated by Cherry Jones
• Heroes of History Series narrated by Rebecca Gallagher
• The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls Series narrated by Adam Verner
• The Boxcar Children Series by Gertrude Chandler
• Grandma’s Attic Series by Arleta Richardson
• Trailblazer’s Series by several different authors
• Christian Heroes: Then & Now series by Janet Benge

Any final piece of advice you would like to share?

Never ever stop cultivating your soul! Study your Bible, read edifying books, keep on growing, keep on learning. Make cultivating your soul a priority. The time we spend in quiet, working to become a better person, will give us the strength we need to be everything God wants us to be.

“If there is such a thing as the joy of childhood, there is such a thing as the joy of motherhood. The mother who cultivates her soul can say, ‘My cup runneth over.’ It runs over into the family circle. The benefits do not end with her. They spill over and spiral outward. Eventually, she is the mother who becomes the generous older woman in the Lord that she longed to know when she was young.” –Karen Andreola

“Mothers should cultivate their souls so that they in turn may cultivate the souls of their children.” –Billy Graham

“What feeds the soul matters as much as what feeds the body.” –Corrie ten Boom

“For a Christian mother [or wife or daughter or woman] to keep growing into the person God is designing her to be, she continues in His Word. She is intentional about not putting her own spiritual and intellectual life on hold” –Karen Andreola

“The first thing for our soul’s health, the first thing for His glory, and the first thing for our own usefulness, is to keep ourselves in perpetual communion with the Lord Jesus, and to see that the vital spirituality of our religion is maintained over and above everything else in the world.” –Charles Spurgeon

Final Thoughts (From Rebekah)

Dear Friend, I hope you enjoyed this Titus Two Tuesday post! As a mama-to-be, I gleaned so much from Sarah’s answers. Her words certainly encouraged and edified my heart – and I hope they did the same for you! Be sure to read back over her answers and make sure you didn’t miss anything!

If you would like to get to know Sarah better, you can follow and reach out to her on the following platforms:

• Sarah’s Instagram: LittleBitofLovely
• Sarah’s Blog: lovelyandco.org (Coming Soon!)
• OR send Sarah an email right here.

I hope you will take the time to reach out to Sarah and thank her for sharing with us today! Also, be sure to check out some of the books and resources she mentioned – they all sound so good!

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with a friend. You might also enjoy reading the previous Titus Two Tuesday blog posts:

• Titus Two Tuesday | A Q&A With Mrs. Pat Fry
• Titus Two Tuesday | A Q&A With Mrs. Amanda Whitener

Until Next Time,