Janessa Shyda

Author: Janessa Shyda

  • My Favorite Clean, Christian Fiction Books

    My Favorite Clean, Christian Fiction Books

    Reading has always been a hobby of mine since Elementary school. The consistency of that hobby has ebbed and flowed but I would say that now has been a time where I am reading the most.

    I started really getting back into reading in 2020 when I simply had more time at home, but I really became consistent once I had my second son and I got my Kindle (I highly recommend a Kindle if you are about to enter the newborn stage…takes all the contact naps and snuggles to a whole new level).

    There are definitely secular books I have read recently but I have noticed that I have scaled back as I started finding more fictional books written by Christians with Christian themes. I have been on a similar journey with secular and Christian music which I can also delve into in another blog.

    All that to say, here are some of my favorite clean, Christian reads that I recommend if you’re looking for guilt-free books to read:

    Historical Christian Fiction

    Mark of the Lion by Francine Rivers


    I have only read the first book of this series and it WRECKED me. Historical fiction is tough to read because these stories are definitely plausible and could have happened during the time you’re reading about. Mark of the Lion is set in the time of the Roman Empire after the fall of Jerusalem. It follows Hadassah, a Jewish Christian slave, as she quietly lives out her faith amidst brutal Roman culture. There is a love story subplot. This book opened the door for me to research the fall of Jerusalem. My knowledge was limited and really ended at Revelation in the Bible.

    Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers


    This was one of the first Christian books I read. I do want to clarify that just because this would be categorized as Christian fiction doesn’t mean there aren’t things to be cautious of. The trauma that is unveiled in this story is heavy and there are definitely some sins that the female main character (FMCs) takes part in before her story of redemption that some may not be comfortable with. This book is a retelling of the biblical story of Hosea, set in California during the Gold Rush. Michael Hosea obeys God’s call to marry Angel, a prostitute.

    Contemporary Christian Fiction

    Sophie’s Heart by Lori Wick

    This book is one of my favorites of all time. It’s about a young woman born and raised in Czechoslovakia but granted the opportunity to move to the USA. She ends up being an absolute blessing to a family going through heartache.

    And now we have the Erynn Mangum line-up. Her books are such comfort reads for me. You can catch me reading or re-reading her books right before bed on my Kindle. I love her FMCs’ quirks throughout all her books: they all love coffee, romance, Pride & Prejudice, pasta, and more.

    Cool Beans Series by Erynn Mangum

    This book series is a comfort read for me and I have started to re-read. This is a lighthearted Christian chick-lit series following Maya Davis, a witty barista navigating work, friendships, and faith. Her laid-back world is thrown into chaos when her best friend starts dating her ex. With humor and depth, the series explores trust, grace, and identity in Christ.

    Lauren Holbrook Series by Erynn Mangum

    The humor in this series is very similar to Cool Beans. This series is a fun, matchmaking-themed Christian series following quirky photographer Lauren Holbrook, who tries to be the ultimate matchmaker while dodging romance herself. With snappy dialogue and close-knit friendships, this series are funny, relatable stories filled with love and faith.

    Leap Day in the Square by Erynn Mangum

    This is a new release from Erynn Mangum. I’m over halfway done with this one. Her characters are always just so adorable and quirky and this book is no different. This book is the first in a Holidays in Hillview series and follows Lucy McGrady, who is on her way to living out her dream: opening up a cotton candy truck. The journey is not easy and she is faced to confront her past along the way.

    Stay With Me by Becky Wade

    Becky Wade’s Misty River Series is more serious than Erynn Mangum’s books above and I appreciate the boldness in not staying away from real-world issues. Stay With Me by Becky Wade is a contemporary Christian romance that follows Genevieve Woodward, a successful author hiding a secret. After a scary situation, she retreats to a cottage in Misty River, Georgia, where she meets Sam Turner, a reserved man with a painful past of his own. Despite their initial reluctance, the two form a bond as they confront their personal struggles and uncover a long-hidden family secret. As their relationship deepens, they must learn to trust one another, embrace healing, and rely on God’s grace to find redemption and hope.

    Let It Be Me by Becky Wade

    I’m halfway through this one! It’s good. Part of the Misty River Romance series, this Christian romance follows a meticulous pediatric heart surgeon, Sebastian, and a determined teacher, Leah, as they’re brought together through a DNA test and unfolding secrets. A moving story of love, identity, and faith.

    There’s definitely more I will add to this list but wanted to share what I’ve read in the past year to start 😊

    For more content follow me on Instagram: @itsjanessashydasblog.

  • How God Showed Up After My First Pregnancy Loss

    How God Showed Up After My First Pregnancy Loss

    DISCLAIMER: This post will cover first-trimester miscarriage.

    In my first blog post, I shared where my prayer journey for my children began and how God brought me comfort through reading the Old Testament in order. I’d like to expand on that part of my story a bit more.

    When I was suddenly faced with that loss, my immediate reaction was, “I need to go to the Gospels. There’s no way I can find comfort in the Old Testament right now.” Turning to the Gospels is encouraged! What was off in my thinking at that moment, though, was my heart posture. I saw the Old Testament reading plan I was following as not what I needed—and in doing so, I treated it as somehow less important or less capable of offering comfort.

    At the time, I was in 2 Kings. Isn’t that full of war, rebellion, and political drama? Yeah, no thanks—I needed comfort in my grief.

    But God proved me wrong.

    I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to stick with my Old Testament reading plan. And guess what passage He had waiting for me—perfectly timed with the heartbreak of my miscarriage and the grief I was experiencing?

    Take a look:

    2 Kings 4:8-17 (NIV)

    8 One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. 9 She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.”

    11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.” So he called her, and she stood before him. 13 Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’”

    She replied, “I have a home among my own people.”

    14 “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked.

    Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.”

    15 Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. 16 “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”

    “No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!”

    17 But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.

    A couple of things I want to clarify: this encounter in the Bible wasn’t directed at me personally, obviously. The Bible was written for us as Christians, but not to us. However, the Lord absolutely knew I would read this passage during a time when I needed examples of how a season of waiting or loss can be redeemed.

    God introduced me to a woman from thousands of years ago to relate to in this moment in my life. A year later, I also happened to have a baby boy in my arms. 🥹

    I seek relatability and community when going through trials, and this passage taught me a few things:

    • Since the beginning of time, mothers have experienced loss or seasons of waiting for their God-given children.
    • God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He redeems. He keeps His promises. He loves us. He answers prayers. He meets us in our valleys.
    • Grief and trials shouldn’t prevent us from doing His work—in fact, trials are often a part of doing His work and are necessary steps in our walk with Him. Clearly this woman was waiting for a child but it didn’t stop her from serving. What a wonderful example!
    • We shouldn’t expect earthly rewards for serving others and walking with Him. Yet, because of His grace, He does bless us on Earth with children. Having children is one of the most intimate ministries in growing the Kingdom of God!

    I hope this story encourages you to see that the entire Bible matters. Yes, some sections are dense and not immediately relatable. But the Bible isn’t designed for relatability—it is designed to reveal God. And the Lord is living and active, and so is His Word. Scripture is God-breathed, and through it, He will give you hope. Your consistency in His Word matters.

    Lastly, remember— “yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14 ESV). To the woman waiting for a baby, or grieving the loss of a baby or young child: you are seen by Him, you are loved by Him, and your story is not over. Your child is alive in Heaven. Heaven is for eternity. Our time here on Earth is temporary.

  • New Favorite Verse to Pray Over my Toddlers Daily

    New Favorite Verse to Pray Over my Toddlers Daily

    In my most recent posts I have explained when I started praying for my children and how we incorporate prayer into our daily life.

    While I would say I’ve developed a good habit of praying for my children, my prayers sometimes feel repetitive. Though they are still powerful and God hears them, I strive to know Scripture well so I can more consistently pray Scripture over my children, because I know those are the truest words I can bless them with—and that pleases the Lord.

    I was reading Psalm 5 today and was FLOORED about how I can pray it over my boys.

    But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
        will enter your house.
    I will bow down toward your holy temple
        in the fear of you.
    8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
        because of my enemies;
        make your way straight before me.

    9 For there is no truth in their mouth;
        their inmost self is destruction;
    their throat is an open grave;
        they flatter with their tongue.
    10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
        let them fall by their own counsels;
    because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
        for they have rebelled against you.

    11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
        let them ever sing for joy,
    and spread your protection over them,
        that those who love your name may exult in you.
    12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
        you cover him with favor as with a shield.     – Psalm 5:7-12 (ESV)

    This verse contains so many phrases that left me in awe—they are perfect and so beautiful to pray over children. I feel like any believing mother or father would naturally want to use this passage to pray over their son or daughter—it’s a no-brainer.

    How to Pray This Verse Over Children

    Obviously my children don’t have enemies like David is referencing in the passage above so my prayer wouldn’t necessarily feature how David declares the fate of his enemies. Here is what my prayer is for my boys. This is an example of praying Scripture over your children:

    Lord, I just pray the sons you blessed me with recognize the abundance of your steadfast love — that they will be led in your righteousness, and that your path is made straight before them. May they not stray from the way you have laid out for them.

    May they take refuge in you and rejoice. May they sing for joy and worship you daily, through all the years of their lives.

    Lord, please spread your protection over them. Please cover them with the shield that is your favor.

    I will continue to share and update you all on some of my favorite verses that I lean on when praying over my boys, but this one moved me so much today that I had to share it. I wrote the verse down in my prayer journal, read it with my oldest, and now I’m writing to reflect on how the Lord granted me the privilege of coming across this Psalm today.

  • The Armor of God: How Women Can Apply This Verse to Their Life

    The Armor of God: How Women Can Apply This Verse to Their Life

    Armor. Swords. Helmets. Warfare. All things not typically associated with being a young woman, wife, and/or a mother. But the fact of the matter is, spiritual warfare is happening and we need the armor of God to remain strong and righteous. So, what is the armor of God exactly?

    10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. – Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV

    This verse is the foundation for the mission of this space: Using the Sword of the Spirit to Steward Daily Life Well.

    I chose the Sword specifically because the Word of God, the Bible, is literally the basis to my household’s values, the foundation to my faith and is quite literally God-breathed. Without the Word, I would simply be standing on sifting sand. How I find joy would be dependent on the day’s circumstances.

    Without God’s Word I am vulnerable to all kinds of temptation from the Enemy as Ephesians 6 clearly says, but I know for me specifically I am at risk of giving in to anger and frustration if I don’t have the Word of God on my heart to tame my tongue and actions. Whether a child is misbehaving, ‘my plan’ for the day is unexpectedly altered, or something doesn’t go right at work, I have no excuse to act on anger and frustration. Here’s an example of how I use the Sword of the Spirit to combat anger. If the Sword is the Word of God then I need a verse that is God’s Truth, the only Truth, to engrain into my heart and mind when I am tempted to act on anger.

    I cling to this verse:

    26 “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. “ – Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV

    It’s important to note that being angry isn’t a sin. It’s acting on it: yelling, using harsh words, being impatient, lacking self-control, being aggressive instead of gentle – basically anything that contradicts the Fruits of the Spirit is a sin. We will talk about the Fruits of the Spirit in next week’s post.

    Not being in the Word would leave me making decisions based on the “knowledge” of man and that is simply not knowledge at all.

    “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10 NIV

    I hope this post encourages you to study God’s Word more in order to better steward the gifts of speech, time, your household, your community, and more.

  • Part 2: Praying for (and with) Littles

    Part 2: Praying for (and with) Littles

    If you’re new here, you can read the mission of this blog, Part I of this blog series on praying for littles, and the resources we use for prayer  in the previous blog posts.

    Let’s take a look at my average ‘Day in the (Prayer) Life’ as a mom of two.

    Morning

    6:00 AM – 6:30 AM: My boys typically wake up this early. My oldest especially has always been an early riser. I have learned to find joy in this. I try to get up at 5:30 AM because I do like to have some Bible reading done in quiet. But when the boys get up, we break out their Bible and read from there. Typically my oldest always likes to read about David and Goliath and then we usually go over to the Psalms and Proverbs. I have found that these books are great to start out with for younger kids because they are easier verses to memorize.

    7:30 AM – Breakfast Time: We either have kids worship music on like Listener Kids, The Wonder Kids or we have Bible Stories for Kids on. Sometimes we don’t. But we do pray for each other and bless the food we are about to eat at each meal. Breakfast time is the meal time that I feel like my kids are the sharpest and most attentive so this is a good scripture memory time. One of my favorite memories was when my oldest learned Psalm 31:

    “Be strong and take heart, all who hope in the Lord.”  (NIV)

    I loved his little flexing move he did with that verse. 💪

    9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Prayer is scattered through this chunk of the day; same between 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Prayer is usually done through correction as a mother. Here are a few examples of what that looks like: 

    “No no, please don’t hit your brother. That is not practicing self-control with our hands. Let’s pray for self-control! That is one of the fruits of the Spirit that Jesus wants us to practice.”

    “Oh buddy, I know you’re upset with your brother. I know it may take some time but let’s pray for forgiveness. Your brother is a gift from God just like you!”

    Afternoon

    12:00 PM – Lunch Time: Lunch is a very similar prayer format to breakfast time; we pray for each other, the meal, and any parts of the day that has already happened that we are grateful for. We also will pray for whatever fruits of the Spirit we realized that we needed to work on between the hours of 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. 

    12:30 PM – Nap Time: After lunch we head to bed and pray for good rest, the day we’ve had so far, and to have a good rest of the day when we wake up. We also pray a prayer of gratitude for the child that is about to get some rest and for God’s protection over them for all the days of their life. 

    3:00 PM – 5:00 PM: This is a chunk of the day where we are praying through correction, if there are any boo-boos, etc. I will also be praying in my head throughout the day.

    Here’s what that can sound like internally:

    “Lord, please give me direction in mothering these boys. Please help me steward the fruits of Spirit well to be a good wife and mom. Help me to not show anger and lack of self-control; I strive to be a witness to your sacrifice, love, grace, and mercy through all the seconds of the day. I know I can’t be perfect but help me to try with my whole heart and the power of your Holy Spirit! Amen.”

    Obviously when stress is high or I am emotionally burnt out, or exhausted more than usual, prayers tend to sometimes be on the short and concise side:

    “Help me Lord.”

    “Strip me of the negative actions and mindset Lord,”

    “Please please please make my heart posture towards my kids be that of viewing them as blessings NOT burdens.” 

    Evening

    5:30 PM – Dinner: This prayer structure is very similar to the first two meal prayers. Thanking the Lord for each other, the meal, the things that went well in the day, the people who need our prayers, and His guidance and forgiveness for things that may not have gone well. 

    7:30 PM – Bedtime: All the chunks of the day and the prayers that come with it mean so much to Him. The bedtime prayer routine is one I just treasure so much because we’ve been most consistent with this prayer time the longest, since my oldest was a newborn. This prayer structure is very much thanking the Lord for the child I am putting to bed, the personality traits, the spiritual gifts, and the strengths each child possesses. We also pray for their salvation and that they surrender their lives to Jesus. This is then followed by a prayer of gratitude for what Jesus did for us on the cross and for the love, grace, and mercy He extends to us so that if we may believe in Him and we may have Eternity with Him. Basically John 3:16: 

    “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (NIV)

    None of this is perfect and sometimes prayers are condensed or shorter.

    I have some goals on how I want to grow my prayer life with my kids, husband, and personally:

    • Praying in the morning when we’re heading out the door needs to improve. We don’t do a very good job at this before the kids head out before we go to work. We could definitely improve here. 
    • Praying as husband and wife together out loud. It’s easy to get comfortable with praying individually in your head on behalf of your spouse and children. Therefore, praying out loud together as husband and wife is definitely not the first thing we gravitate towards in our prayer life but it is such a unifying way to lift each other up and the family up in prayer and reiterate to the Lord that you and your spouse are united as husband and wife. 
    • I would love to pray in a closed off space more consistently like my closet — free from distractions and technology and not worried about the time passing or keeping to a schedule. Sometimes praying can feel like it’s just on the to-do list. Having a segment of the day where you’re not bound by time or something after like eating, sleep, getting out the door, etc is really freeing! I am going to start doing this more.
    • Writing down my prayers more consistently – I have a prayer journal and I have found that writing down prayers helps me recognize when God answers them.

    I hope this is helpful and demonstrates how your prayer life can be a consistent thread throughout the day. Sometimes it’s done out loud and sometimes it is in your head to the Lord. Either way, no matter how it looks and sounds like, what matters is that prayer is done because the Lord does hear you!

    “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” – James 5:16 NIV

  • My Bible Resources as a Mom of Two

    My Bible Resources as a Mom of Two

    Consider this Part 1a of my last post, Part 1: Praying for Littles where I laid the foundation of when I started praying for the littles God blessed me with, but also the loss that was the catalyst in making my prayer life for and with my littles consistent and Spirit-led. It’s Part 1a because the resources below give inspiration on what to pray for and how to do it. These resources also help me as a mother remain focused on my role in stewarding my children and cultivating peace in my household.

    The foundation of this entire space is how my household leverages the Bible to live our daily life. That being said, I wanted to link resources that my family uses for Bible reading, YouTube watching, podcast listening, and more!

    Bible

    ESV Journaling Bible: Sierra Theme


    I have been using this ESV Bible for a year now and LOVE it. I have never had a journaling Bible before so that was the main reason I purchased this one specifically. I came across this through Milena Ciciotti‘s Instagram. It’s beautiful too.

    Why ESV?

    I do also have NKJV and NIV Bibles. I started sorting through the translations on the Bible app and started reading the ESV translation there first. Truthfully, this was the second-most common translation I have come across that I did not have. I love going back and forth between translations because I find it helps me understand Scripture if one translation doesn’t make sense to me. It also helps me memorize Scripture and the main concepts it is communicating.

    My Sons’ Bible

    Adventure Bible – This Bible is an NIV translation Bible that is beautifully illustrated. But this is the Holy Word of God, not “Bible Stories.” There is a difference. As my 4 year old was getting older and asking more questions, we found it necessary he has his own copy of the Word. At the time, he had a collection of Bible stories. There wasn’t anything wrong with it but it was a summary of Bible stories, not word for word translation of Scripture. He needed his own Bible to have a resource that didn’t water down the Gospel. There is a devotion that accompanies this Bible – we have not purchased it yet but it will be on his birthday list 🙂

    YouTube and Podcasts

    I am choosing to group some of my favorite YouTube channels and podcasts together because I watch / listen to all my podcasts on YouTube.

    As For Me and My House and Milena Ciciotti – I have been listening to Milena & Jordan’s podcast since 2021. You will notice I bring up Milena Ciciotti A LOT. Reason being, she is the first motherhood and lifestyle account I started following when I was pregnant with my firstborn son. Stumbling across her account and podcast at just the right time and because she is a sister in Christ, is why I have been such a consistent viewer and listener. Her content is nostalgic for me at this point. I associate it with the start of my motherhood journey. Her channels have gone through some changes over the years as they have grown in their faith and theology. That has been cool to witness and again a journey I can relate to. They really delve into parenting (or as like they like to call it, fathering and mothering) and marriage through a Biblical worldview but they also have started to delve into more theological discussions pertaining to the Spiritual Realm – essentially God and His Divine Council. This is a topic that has interested me immensely so that’s been cool to listen and watch in between the more life application videos.

    Relatable Hosted by Allie Beth Stuckey – “Politics matter because policy matters because people matter.”– Allie Beth Stuckey. That statement right there is why I consume her content. All too often Christians with influence will separate our belief in Jesus from politics because of the two-party system and the controversial disagreements between them. No, no, no! We need to care about politics as Christians! Yes, God is completely in control no matter what BUT we must make political decisions that align with His Word. To not vote or to vote for ideas that support killing image bearers of God or policies that ignore God’s design in regard to marriage and biological sex would not be wise. That is the main mission of Allie Beth’s podcast, Relatable. She also mixes up her content and talks about cultural issues at large beyond politics which I appreciate.

    Listener Kids & Lifetree Kids – Listener Kids is another account that makes me all warm and fuzzy with nostalgia because these were the first Christian songs for kids I showed my firstborn son at around 3 months (don’t judge me on the screentime lol). You can catch me listening to their rendition of Arky, Arky in the car by myself. Trust me, their songs are catchy!

    Lifetree Kids is the hub of all the VBS programs and songs we know and love. Our church did the Scuba program last summer and when those videos dropped – specifically Count Your Blessings – about a month ago, me and my 4 year old were equally excited. The Scuba songs would be stuck in our head for months before the YouTube videos launched, and they are still on repeat.

    I would love to hear your feedback on the featured content and resources and if you also use, watch, or listen to the same things.

  • Part 1: Praying for Littles

    Part 1: Praying for Littles

    Before I unpack how I pray with the littles God blessed me with, I wanted to take a step back to when I first started praying for them.

    DISCLAIMER: This post will cover first-trimester miscarriage.

    I started my prayer life for my littles during my first pregnancy in Summer 2020.

    That first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.

    I was probably the most disciplined I had ever been in reading the Word during this time. Looking back, there is no irony in those two facts: miscarrying and being the closest I have ever been to the Lord and His Word. These two facts complement each other. In fact, the Lord used me reading the Bible in chronological order as a way to give me assurance and hope that I would be vessel to birth my first earthside baby boy. But that is a story for another time…

    By powering through and remaining in the Word through the trial that was a miscarriage, my prayer life was amplified even further because I knew what I was robbed of by worrying the first time around. I was not going to let the Enemy take hold of this loss. I chose by the grace of God to seek the Lord’s comfort and to surrender my womb in prayer for whatever He had planned.

    I was taught right off the bat through this loss that my children are actually not ‘mine.’ They are ultimately HIS. I truly think my miscarriage taught me not to idolize the future children I was to bear. Realizing that my children are His also taught me that my first baby still exists, just not in the physical realm, but in Heaven.

    A MIRACLE: A baby that the Lord assured me would be conceived despite the first loss a few months prior.

    Fast forward two months after the miscarriage, I was pregnant with my son. My womb was fully surrendered to the Lord. Certain search engines were not touched at this time whereas in my first pregnancy, I couldn’t stay off of them for the short time I carried my very first baby. I didn’t stay offline to ignore my worry or because I wasn’t worried. I stayed off of it to combat it. My heart posture in going to the web the first time around wasn’t mere curiosity. It was to feed my worries and anxiety that the Enemy tried to leverage to weaken me. This is not a Biblical heart posture. In fact, it is against what Jesus commands us to do in Matthew 6:25-26:

    Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

    Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

    That being said, I am not writing this to say that the almost immediate joy of another baby erased the pain, grief, and worry I faced two months prior. In fact, when I was 27 weeks pregnant with my second baby, now my first son here on Earth, I remember feeling a wave of grief for my first knowing that I was entering the third trimester with my second despite not being able to meet my first.

    The fact of the matter is, I have my first child in Heaven and 2 boys here on Earth – they are all the Lord’s, and He had their stories written since the Beginning of Time.

    I wanted to lay out when the journey of praying for littles started.

    In Part 2, I will delve into what prayer life looks like for and with 4 and 2 year old boys. I am excited to share!

    For more content, follow me on Instagram: @itsjanessashydasblog

  • Daily Bible Time Reflection Meets DITL Content as a Wife, Mother, and Marketer

    Daily Bible Time Reflection Meets DITL Content as a Wife, Mother, and Marketer

    With this first post, I truly seek to communicate the current ‘why’ behind this space.

    Reflection, specifically reflecting on Scripture, is a part of my daily life. So, I decided to make my reflections public in hopes to generate a community of Believers who seek to understand and apply God’s Word.

    Here’s the main mission of this blog / these reflections:

    What He has done and how He has commanded us to live ultimately impacts my daily behavior and tasks as a wife, mother, and marketer in the corporate world. I look to ALL of Scripture to give me inspiration into how I can obey God and give glory to Him in what I do in the modern world.

    So, welcome to this blog that at the end of the day is Scripture reflection meets day in the life content. I am grateful you are here 🙂