Morning Coffee Mug Scripture Habit on my Instagram InstaStory

Morning Coffee Mug Scripture Habit

I have a morning coffee mug Scripture habit that has been well received by my Instagram followers, and that makes me very happy! It is so fun to share something that is such a meaningful part of my mornings in an easy way. I put a verse or inspiration on an image of my coffee mug then simply share that image on my Instagram Story.

Coffee and Scripture God Time with the Bible App

Purposeful, slow living is important to me. One of the very first things I do each day to make #slowliving a reality is to have what I call “God Time.” I sit with a mug of coffee, a blanket, my phone and my journal. I’m usually cuddled up in a corner of our couch or in a comfy chair we have in our bedroom. Lately, I have been sitting outside in our backyard, no blanket needed!

I use my apps on my phone to spend time with God, the main apps being YouVersion Bible App & IF App. When I read anything that really sticks or speaks to me, I quickly copy and paste it into my Notes in a folder labeled “God Time” and each note separated by the date, starting a new note for each new day. I then pull anything I want to share from that Note. Most days I end the time with prayer. If I have extra time, I will take some time to journal, too.

Habits Take Time

This quiet time is something I truly look forward to each day, but this was not always the case. I remember when my teens were young, I yearned for the desire and discipline to spend time daily time with my Creator, but I was tired and often distracted. I asked God to help me with this and over the years time with him has grown into a sweet, necessary habit.

Habits take time and purposeful, repetitive action to build. It has helped that my ‘littles’ are grown, that I have become more of a morning person, and life challenges over the years have revealed my deep need for God. These are all things that make spending time with him easier, plus he is a good Father and will always answer a prayer of his child that is asked according to his will.

What is Instagram Stories?

Instagram Stories or “InstaStory” is a newish feature on Instagram that lets you share little snippets of your day, without worrying about overposting. As you share multiple photos and videos, they appear together in a slideshow format which becomes your story. You can get creative with it by adding text and using drawing tools. I keep mine fairly simple, but I do love the text tool! The photos and videos disappear 24 hours after bring posted, which keeps clutter to a minimum.

You can see stories from those you follow in a bar at the top of your Instagram feed. When there is something new to see, their profile photo will have a colorful ring around it. Just tap on this ringed profile photo to watch someone’s story.

It is easy to view at your own pace. Tap to go back or forward or swipe to go to the next person’s story. I love that you can hold your finger on the screen to pause someone’s story, which is very handy when reading text.

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USERNAME: @amy_newnostalgia

(psst..you can only view InstaStories on the mobil app)

Morning Coffee Mug Scripture Sharing on Instastories

It is fun to start each days Instagram Story with a fresh new picture of my morning coffee mug. My followers have commented that they love seeing where each day begins on my story by the familiar mug photo, and are inspired by the words I share. I’m not surprised by that, as God’s word promises to “never return void.” {Isaiah 55:11} When I share scripture, I share his words, not mine.

How To Easily Share Regular Inspiration on Social Media

If you desire to share regular inspiration on social media, find a time where you regularly do something every day and fit it into that time. I have a mug of coffee every day, so this was the perfect fit for me. There are so many habits we automatically do every day– eating breakfast, brushing teeth, putting on makeup, sitting in the driver’s seat of your car–any of these times could be a time where you pause a minute and build the habit of sharing inspiration on social media. We all know social media could use a bit of positive inspiration!

With Instagram, photos are live on the Instastory for 24 hours, then disappear. I have my settings to where it will automatically save the photos I share to my camera roll, so I have gathered some of my favorites Coffee Mug Scriptures to share with you today!

Another version of this verse says “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” What a cool promise, and one that has come true in my life. When I clear the time and space to come close to God and his message, he responds and his words become real to me and give me life.

When someone loves and adores you, it is not too hard to do what they desire. I pray often that God would reveal to me just how much he loves me. His love for his children is so immense and perfect that our human minds just can’t wrap around it! Yet, I’ve had many glimpses and boy is it beautifully overwhelming! When we are truly and fully loved by someone, we trust them to want the best for us. Obedience out of this knowledge is so sweet.

This is not an easy verse, especially when you are wronged and it just isn’t fair. I love the reminder of how many times Christ has forgiven me. Over and over and over. Who am I to withhold forgiveness from another? Yet, I do. Even when I think I am a forgiving person, God will show me where I am holding an offense or one will come my way and I will have a choice to make. Lord, help me to choose to forgive!

This is ultimately what I am doing each morning. Seeking his face. He tells us to, and I just know he smiles when we do!

Ya’ll. This verse can be hard for me. I have an anxiety disorder so perfect peace is something I don’t take for granted. I HAVE experienced it so often in my life. A supernatural peace from God. Having to fight my default of anxiety and choose to trust and believe has been a fight for me, but God has met me in that and shown me it is worth it. There is nothing like his peace.

Well. This one. James 1 has always been a favorite chapter of the Bible for me. I memorized it when I was young and it always stuck with me. Man it is hard to wrap my human mind around being thankful for test & trials to the point of considering them a gift. I HAVE seen how hardships cause me to lean in and show me my need for a Savior. I have seen God’s faithfulness in every single hardship. The gift is more of him. The gift is sharing in suffering, with him and with others.

This reminder that God has overcome the world, that there is the hope of Heaven, that this is not all there is, that we are made for more than this earth and it’s difficulties–yes! That we can be unshakable, assured and deeply at peace if we trust him. Yes!

Above all else is love. It holds all the things.

Another verse on trust. He is trustworthy. He is good. He knows the future. He knows our stories. He sees it all and holds it all. His timing is perfect.

Do you have any #slowliving routines?

What is something you do every day that you could fit sharing some positive inspiration on social media? Is this even something that interests you?

Want to see fresh Coffee Mug Scripture and inspiration? Follow me on Instagram @amy_newnostalgia.

Counting Gifts/ Emotional Health/ FAMILY

What I Learned {Winter Edition}

My friend Michelle DeRusha wrote a What I’ve Learned post yesterday that was linked up to Emily Freeman’s What I’ve Learned link-up, a place where bloggers gather and share all the things, big or small, that they learned that season.

I was inspired and decided to visit some old Instagram posts to jog my memory into what I’ve learned this winter. I was overwhelmed by all that I have learned. Evidence of God’s gifts.

Here is What I’ve Learned.

1. I. Must. Journal. It is free therapy!

Journals capture the gifts and slow my heart down. Thoughts exhaled.

2. White dishes make me giddy.

A sweet Christmas gift from my Mom-in-Law. You can never go wrong with timeless white dishes! I love to add color with napkins or flowers at the table.

3. I prefer real fruit snacks to artificial food snacks.

Snacks! Some naughty, some nice!

4. Red and Green are NOT my favorite Christmas colors.

Golds and sparkly silvers as Christmas colors

Golds and sparkly silvers are my favorite Christmas colors!

5. Sitting across from my teens with my man eating food I didn’t have to cook is my new fav.

Lunch and a Movie Family Date. Loving this slow week between Christmas and New Years!

6. Making homemade yogurt in the Instant Pot is a breeze.

Tower of homemade yogurt from the Instantpot. This batch has maple syrup and vanilla in it. I left the consistency thinner and it is even better than my favorite store brand. Natural probiotics!

7. Natural probiotics and seeds are amazing for digestion, and I’m obsessed with yogurt.

These little jars of homemade yogurt have been my breakfast, keeping me full well past lunch time! A little trick I’ve learned is this: use just a spoonful of Trader Joe’s Flax & Berry Dried Oatmeal Pack to act as a granola and add a bit of sweet. I also add the Trader Joe’s Ancient Seed blend. So delicious, filling and good for you!

8. I’m officially a superfood junkie — Gogi berries, Chia, Flax, Hemp.

I can't get over the deliciousness of #yogurt made in the #instantpot I love it topped with organic maple syrup, #gogiberries and chia/hemp seed mix. This keeps me full for hours and my gut happy with all those probiotics!

I can’t get over the deliciousness of homemade yogurt! I love it topped with organic maple syrup, gogi berries, and chia/hemp seed mix. My gut is full and happy!

9. Even in the winter, just 5 minutes in nature gives me life. I must get outdoors.

The sun is out and our 2 -day ice storm is melting all beautiful and shimmery! I took my DSLR out for a walk today to try and capture the wonder of melting ice. I wish I could have captured the sound of ice cracking and icicles landing in pieces on the ground. Magical!

10. Donut cakes will never get old. So easy. So yummy! Unpack and stack!

Colsie’s Sweet 16 donut cake.

11. Crafty projects are so much better with the help of a friend. I need to ask for help more often!

It was a wine and washi tape kind of night! Thank you to my sweet Renee friend for helping me with #ifgathering2017 decoration prep.

12. Peeled grapefruit is worth it. Every. Single. Agonizing. Second. It builds patience. It tastes amazing.

Peeled a grapefruit for the first time ever. Have you heard it’s a thing? It was delicious!

13. When sitting inside, look up and out every once in a while. I might just see this!

The clouds above my house right now. “GOD’s strong name is our help, the same GOD who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 124:8

14. That if I push into the hard, I will get glimpses of eternity.

“…But my cross, Lord, I will carry, Home, Lord, home, Lord, ALL THE WAY!” I have a hero who carried his cross all the way home to Jesus. His bride told me “he made it all the way home to Jesus this morning, all the way home.” There was much cross-carrying done in this beautiful family the past year and a half. Watching them has changed me. {hand lettering by my Avery}

15. In the hardest moments, God reveals himself, for he is always present. Nothing can separate us from his love.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8

16. I need light. Sunlight, twinkle lights, fairy lights. I may even buy this happy light!

I have a thing with light. Give me all the string lights, sunlight, & twinkle lights! “For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness. This God- his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. 2 Samuel 22:29, 31

17. Moments are fleeting.

She is a flurry of activity…opening letters from colleges, looking for car keys and a lost glove, shoving feet into snow boots all while talking on the phone to her boyfriend. I snap this photo of my Teagan, capturing the moment before she’s gone. Here today gone tomorrow. #iblinked

18. Difficulties, when handed in trust to God, bring peace.

Lessons of trust come wrapped in difficulties. Be steadfast, the payoff is peace. “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you.”
Isaiah 26:3

Thanks for reading what I’ve learned. What have you learned this season

Did you enjoy this post? If so, you might enjoy following me on Instagram, as these photos and captions are all from my Instagram account.

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Counting Gifts/ FAMILY

Captured Life Tidbits – February & March 2015

So thankful for these moments — these tidbits that make up life.

CAPTURING THE MOMENTS IS A GIFT.

Counting these gifts keeps me present,

keeps me thankful,

& reminds me to live NEW!

Here are a few amazing gifts I have found by scrolling through my Instagram feed from the months of February & March.

#LivingNew

#1130-#1149

~a throw-back to 2010, a reminder that life is a gift

~celebrating Valentines day with our traditional breakfast junk food table

~a picnic style dinner at the Lied Lodge for a special retreat

~dear friends who are authors & celebrating upcoming book release dates (pre-order here!)

~this truth

~a cupcake bouquet made by little sister for her older sisters birthday

~celebrating my Colsie’s 14th birthday

~the beauty of a fresh February snow

~cozy tea, cozy blankets, cozy insides

~honey lemon ginger tea for my little ones’ cold

~a car full of decorations to make a fun retreat beautiful

~successful decor, a beautiful weekend

~watching my amazing girl run an early morning Valentine 5K in 13 degree weather

~that I am

~hearing Jennifer Lee Dukes speak at Refresh My Heart conference, then cozying up with her book

~being silly with my Cali heart friend. Attending conferences together.

~spring break sushi dates with my Teagan

~celebrating my Avery’s 12th birthday. The cake pops she made all by herself.

~shoe shopping with my Colsie. Her gratitude and excitement over a pair of shoes.

Counting Gifts/ FAMILY

Our Captured Life Tidbits

So thankful for these moments — these tidbits that make up life.

Capturing the moments is a gift.

Counting these gifts keeps me present,

keeps me thankful,

& reminds me to live NEW!

It has been too long since I posted about all the gifts that life brings. The last time was almost a year ago and I find myself sad that I have not been recording all the good lil’ bits of life that has happened this year.

Honestly, it has been a long, rough year. One of the toughest yet. BUT…God. God has been very near and faithful & has brought and continues to bring our family through so much. I will be sharing some of that journey in the coming year, but in the meantime, how about some gift counting with me?

It is almost 2015 and I am excited to start counting the gifts again. I stopped at #1075 and I’m ready to keep on counting. I have a fun plan how to do just that and will share it with you very soon! In the meantime, here are a few amazing gifts I have found by scrolling through my Instagram feed from the months of October & November.