First of all, I am excited to be contributing to a wonderful community called The Intentional Lifestyle.  The site is chock full of resources, ideas and support to live a healthy life, in all aspects of your life.  I am the Healthy Home “Expert” over there and my first vlog, talking about the four things that clutter steals from you, is live today.  I am humbled and thrilled to be in the company of such a talented team! Please go check it out!

Secondly, I contributed to a brand new eBook called From Mom’s Failure to God’s Grace: Stories of Raising Boys from the MOB Society Writers.  All the proceeds from the book go to spread God’s Word in the DCR through the Seed Company.  I am so excited about this- imagine the impact a little book can have all over the world.  Amazing!  The book is available through Amazon for your Kindle {and if you don’t have a Kindle, you can download the Kindle reader free to your PC} for just $2.99.  I would love to know what you think after you read it {cause y’all are gonna go buy it and read it, right???}     

So, do you have anything exciting going on in your life?  I would love to hear about it!!!

Sometimes I am tempted to throw in the proverbial towel with this whole writing/teaching thing, especially when I start listening to the lies of the devil.  And then God will show up in a sweet and powerful way {or two or three} and remind me that I am doing what He has asked and that my only calling is to obedience.

This week, He affirmed that in my Bible reading.  For those of you that don’t know, I chose to do the chronological Bible reading plan this year in my personal quiet time.  I was reading in Exodus when God is calling Moses to go deliver His people from Egypt.  Just read this little exchange between Moses and the Lord:

But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words.  I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me.  I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled”.  Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth?  Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see?  Is it not I, the Lord?  Now go!  I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say”.  ~Exodus 4:10-12 NLT

Yes, that little bit of Scripture just stepped all over my toes.

So, with a mixture of excitement and trepidation I am announcing a new format of study on my blog.  Beginning February 15th, I am going to lead a study here called Plugged In:  Accessing God’s Power Through Prayer.  It will continue for 8 Wednesdays, leading up to Easter.  The format will be short vlog segments for you to watch when you have a few minutes of quiet.  Then a free printable worksheet will be provided for more in-depth study of the topic presented if you desire.  God has blessed me with a talented audio/visual friend who is making this all come together.  I am honored to share it with you!  Here is a little intro video for your viewing pleasure (ha!):

Please join me for session one of Plugged In: Accessing God’s Power Through Prayer on Wednesday, February 15th.

In more exciting news, one of my favorite websites, The M.O.B Society, has gotten a face-lift. The M.O.B Society is a site for mothers of boys, by mothers of boys and I am honored to be a contributing writer there. Raising future men of God is such an incredible honor and responsibility. It is comforting and encouraging to have a place to go where other moms are going through and dealing with the same challenges, joys and struggles. A few months ago, the M.O.B writers contributed to an eBook, called From Mom’s Failure to God’s Grace: Stories of Raising Boys from the M.O.B Society Writers. Tomorrow, the book will be available for on Amazon for $2.99! All proceeds go to the Seed Company to provide the Word of God to people across the world. I am so tickled to be a part of this. Be sure to stop by The M.O.B Society today!

And, lastly, for those of my local friends, we are resuming Wednesday morning Bible study (we had taken a hiatus for the holidays that lasted a bit longer than I planned). This coming Wednesday at 9:30 we will begin a 6 week study of Isaiah 58 that I have entitled, The Well-Watered Life. I can’t wait to share the insights God has given me from this chapter (my life chapter!). Wednesday mornings, First Baptist Church, Martinsburg, WV.

I think that is all except for the counting of more blessings (excerpted from my Joy Dare journal)
~ a book that challenged me
~ friends that inspire me
~ new shoes for Sweet Pea
~ just enough powdery snow to make the trees pretty
~ a husband who is the calm to my storm
~ a special girl asking for prayer (an answer to prayer in and of itself)
~ six new girls at Young Lives club
~ a true Sabbath rest
~ knowing God fights for me (Exodus 14:14)
~ a much needed nap

What are you thankful for?

I have two posts in draft that I just don’t feel led to hit publish on right now but just know, God and I are going through some stuff together.  Confidence was definitely the right word to choose for 2012.  Stay tuned for an announcement and a fresh series on prayer beginning February 15th.

Now, for the week in review…

I turned 33 this week and a sweet young friend made me this pretty cake Thank you, Halie!  I had a wonderful birthday trip with the hubby (the pictures are tucked in this post)

I am pathetically inept at doing this little girls hair in the morning.  Mimi needs some lessons (and some tips for getting her to sit still without the neighbors thinking I am attempting to murder her)

Uncle Matt (or Mot as Sweet Pea pronounces it) was kind enough to read her a story so I could meet a deadline.

He was rewarded with a much needed haircut

Sweet Pea ended the week with a bad case of hives (apparently an allergic reaction to the antibiotic for her double ear infection) I had to take a picture to send to her mama.  Did I mention her mama will be home in less than a month and I can go back to being Mimi?  Pshew, y’all.  16 month olds are exhausting, but in a sweet and precious way!

The big dose of Benadryl she got at the doctors made Sweet Pea sleepy. Uncle Jared made for a comfy nap spot while he was watching ESPN.

I have to say, crazy week or not, I love my life and thank God for every moment!

I am in love with this gadget, particularly the Pinterest app and Instagram.

Imagine my delight in finding a bloggy link-up for sharing your photos from the week {cause I take a ridiculous amount of photos with my phone}.

Here is my week in photos:

all my kids sitting in one spot without bickering, a photo worthy moment indeed 12/31/11

Sweet Pea plunking on the piano to keep the residents of the nursing home entertained! 1/2/12

Jared, my uber cool 15 year old who will still take photos with mama 12/31/11

Mike and I saying goodbye to our soldier, Jason, for 3 more months of training. 1/3/12

crazy game night {Partini, anyone?} on New Year’s Eve at casa del Smallwood 12/31/11

Spent much of the week like this since Sweet Pea is sick 1/5/12

YoungLives Team 3 represent!  One of us {not me} ate a booger, we collectively chewed the biggest wad of gum, I learned how to Dougie and we still lost the stinkin’ scavenger hunt by 6 points   #i’mstillbitter!

What a fun way to look back on the week!

And, as a follow up to this post I wanted to let you know how I am doing with the Chronological One Year Bible plan.

Ahem, in one word: not-so-good.

I could make excuses {see picture of sick baby above} but I won’t.  I will say that I am two days behind and it is only January 6th.  yikes!  But, I am determined and enjoying this reading plan.  I am taking copious notes because the reading sections are bite sized enough for in depth study.  I love that!  I will update you next week as well {if for no other reason than to hold myself accountable}.

Hope everyone has a blessed weekend!!

The Bible is God’s love letter to us and I am a hopeless romantic.

In 2010 I read through the Bible in 90 days with Mom’s Toolbox.  I LOVED that method and can’t recommend it enough!

In 2011, I didn’t make it all the way through.  God and I spent a lot of time in James and Isaiah.

This year, I am reading The One Year Chronological Bible NLT (One Year Bible: Nlt).

Most of us know that the books of the Bible are not in chronological order.  Job is, in fact, one of the oldest known books of the Bible but in a traditional Bible is somewhere near the middle.

Cover via Amazon

I love delving in to the Word and looking at it through a different lens.  I am obviously only into day 3 of this reading plan  {today includes readings from Genesis and I Chronicles} but am excited to see how biblical events unfolded in “real” time.

This reading plan requires 15-20 minutes a day {unless you are me and are constantly cross-referencing with your Bible software and getting sidetracked by word studies}so it is very doable for anyone.

Spending time in the Word is the only way to remain connected to the Vine.

Care to join me on this chronological journey in 2012?  I will be posting my thoughts from my reading each Friday and would love to have some readers join me.  Let me know in the comments if you plan to follow along!

*an affiliate link is contained in this post and I would receive a small commission if you purchased the Bible through that link.*

I enjoy the reflection, the looking back on the good, the not-so-good and finding the grace in both.

Each new year, since I began blogging, I have prayerfully chosen one word I feel led to focus on in the coming 365 days.

In 2009, gratitude.

In 2010, giving.

In 2011, grace.

It is amazing how the moments of the year can directly relate to the word for that year.

I knew a few months ago what word God was laying on my heart.

A word for the outside my comfort zone moments that seem to happen more and more as we step out in faith.

A word for the insecure little girl who falls easy prey to the enemies lies.

A word for the type of ironclad faith I long to have.

My word for 2012 is confident.

The greek word for confident in this verse is pepoithos.  The word is an active participle, meaning that Paul was using the word in the context that He was confident in who God was, who God is and who God will always be.  Pepoithos means a knowledge of security, regardless of circumstance.

Oh, the confidence I want.  The confidence I need.  The confidence I admittedly lack at times.

I will be focusing more on confidence and what it will mean for my journey as the year goes on.

Do you have one word for 2012?  I would love to hear!

This has been a crazy with a capital C kind of week.

We had our YoungLives Christmas party last night with 41 teen moms and their babies in attendance.  It was amazing to see God show up!

Image via Wikipedia

I have been very preoccupied getting ready for that, preparing for the holidays and getting ready to welcome our two oldest home for a few weeks.  Shayla will be home from school today for 17 days!! Can’t wait to see her!  Then, Jason comes home on the 21st for a week and a half break from basic and AIT training for the Army.  I am going to be posting lightly and sporadically until the New Year as I soak up every minute with my kids.

I did want to let you know that my first post as a contributor at Homemakers Challenge is up and I am talking about simplifying the holiday season.  You can read the post here.

I pray that each of you has a blessed and restful Christmas!

Then, my co-leader of a Bible study at church suggested that we teach through the book of James {we will focus on the first half of chapter 4 this Sunday}.

And now, my favorite Bible study author and Siesta mama, Beth Moore, has written a new study called James: Mercy Triumphs.

Do you think God wants me in the book of James, or what?

I am so excited to announce that on Tuesday, November 1st at 11am CST {which is noon for those of us EST gals, right?} LifeWay Women is hosting a LIVE, interactive Facebook party and webcast with Beth Moore to celebrate the launch of this new book.

Women are invited to attend and participate in a live Q & A with Beth and also be eligible for the chance to win lots of giveaways, including this new Bible study!

Ladies, they are giving away an iPad, $100 giftcards to LifeWay and so much more!! Just the chance to ask Beth a question and join her in celebrating the launch this new study is exciting to me!!

To register for the event, visit the Facebook page.

I am going to spend some time in James

Berkeley County, WV is an area rich with Civil War History, beautiful mountain views and boasts an affordable cost of living within driving distance of our nations capitol.

Our county also boasts the second highest teen pregnancy rate in the state of West Virginia and is one of the only counties in the country that experienced an increase in teen pregnancy between 2007-2009.  Statistics like those break my heart but also spur me on to want to make a difference in the lives of these girls and their children.

Some of my sweet teen mama's with me in May

The work we do to create change in the lives of these girls requires resources.  Time, money and talents.

We are raising money for our ministry in a myriad of ways, including a raffle sponsored by Eastern Panhandle Moms.  The prize is a 16G iPad 2!! We are drawing for it on Wednesday, October 26th and the winner will be announced on that site.  You can live anywhere and purchase tickets {I have friends in Alabama, Indiana and Texas that have purchased tickets!}.  We will ship the iPad to the winner!

Image via CrunchBase

So, if you are interested in purchasing a chance to win {and making a difference in the lives of the two generations we serve} please leave a comment or email me at kmelissasmallwood@gmail.com.  I will provide you with the paypal address.  Tickets are 1 for $10 or 3 tickets for $20!

We have sold 148 tickets so far so your chances of winning are excellent!!!!!

And, I covet your prayers this week as we prepare for our 2nd annual banquet, our largest fundraiser of the year, that will occur on Thursday, October 27th!  Please cover that event in prayer and myself, our director, Jill and the rest of our volunteers as we expect the enemy to attack us all this week as we lead up to the event.

Thank you all!

I have not posted every day {didn’t I predict that would happen?}

I still have much to say on this topic!  We will continue next week with more obstacles to a clean heart and finish up the month with action steps.

But, this weekend, the frenetic pace of life MUST slow down and allow me some time with this sweet girl {whom I haven’t seen in two weeks}

Saying goodbye at the airport

Pray that we will have safe travels {5 hours each way in the car with a teething Sweet Pea} and that we will make the most of the short visit.

I will be back Monday to resume the series.

You can read from the beginning here:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6/Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 12