“As the mother is the guardian and guide of the early years of life, from her emanates the most powerful influence which is exerted in the formation of the character of man. And why should it not be so? What impressions can be more strong, and more lasting, than those received upon the mind in the freshness and the susceptibility of youth? What instructor can gain greater confidence and respect than a mother? And where can there exist circumstances more favorable for guiding human souls into the way of salvation, than when the little flock cluster around a mother’s knee to hear of God and heaven?”

John Abbott

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Who am I? Well, chances are if you are here you know a bit about me, and you know that who I am is certainly not a very tech savvy person. And yet, it dawned on me the other day that Substack would be a helpful outlet in lots of ways. I really have missed blogging for a number of years now, even though my writing outlet had progressively funneled itself into Deeply Rooted for awhile. Then I started homeschooling, then started a school, then made more and more cute people and more and more food to feed those growing people and…well, for obvious reasons I stopped writing in long form anywhere. I’ve been podcasting for a good number of years now, but the written word is still my favorite.

Since starting Bright Hearth and getting to meet and talk to so many interesting Christians from all over the country, I’ve realized just how many people are desperate for spiritual mothering and fathering in an earthy, feet on the ground, in the kitchen, in the garden sort of a way. Even more so, many have asked me specifically how I got to where I am, not that it’s anything magical, because its not (I’m still struggling to keep my baseboards clean, ok folks!?). But I’ve realized that the average American Christian mother trying to recover a robust Christian womanhood is isolated and without other thinking friends, so she’s disoriented and has no clue where she fits historically, or even where she should be journeying to. She doesn’t have anyone to read any books with, let alone books by dead guys that may be approaching upwards of a thousand pages. So what I mean by where I am is how I became the obsessively rabbit hole jumping, foot note chasing, interested person that I am. I chase my inspiration for living through The Living Word and books and I want you to also.

My big idea in keeping this blog will essentially be an running list of the marginalia notes, thoughts, truths, books, and snippets of beauty that have stirred and continue to stir me along the way and keep me wanting to roll up my sleeves and go back for more of the heavy lifting work required in my walk with the Lord, marriage, and my mothering. Wether we want to admit it or not, we are one of the least educated and unequipped generation of women ever to exist. I see the Lord stirring up churches and families and women to want something different.

Specifically, I hope to continue to put out annotated book lists covering a wide variety of topics. I hope to give reviews, what I implemented immediately into life in a practical way, what I disagreed with, etc in the many books I hope to get through for the rest of forever (literally. Is there Substack on the New Earth?). I want them all in one place so this can serve as some sort of tome of womanhood to be easily passed off and referenced by others, partly inspired by Leila with a dash of Mystie.

There will be a charge for some content because I personally have learned that I’m not often an active, responsible participant unless I have some skin in the game. Skin in the game in my continuing education has often looked like subscription classes and book budgets. I do see this principle in the Proverbs as well when we see the work required in finding wisdom (Prov. 2:3-8). I hope it’s worth your time and cost. Also, I can really only do this consistently if I get up even earlier to schedule in the work time, so I hope the incentive of a few extra bucks in the book budget will be encouragement to get up in the dark of winter. And, to be honest, there are so many wise, older women that I just wish I could ask many questions of and I would gladly pay them a couple bucks to sit down and let me pick their brain! I think many women often have a similar itch they want to scratch.

I’m working on finalizing my “40 before 40” list for you guys before January. The idea first came from my friend Jax. I’m pretty sure she got the idea from Farmhouse Schoolhouse. I was overthinking my list too much when it dawned on me that, Lord willing, I’ll actually have a few more decades after my next to get through other books that an educated mind should have read. Phew! I think I only have five or six more titles to chop, then you can see what makes the cut. I’ll have about five books to read each year, so I really need to pick mine soon and make some sort of a schedule.

Until then, I’ll tide you over with my current book stack, as well as some helpful marginalia notes I’ve been meditating on while making laminated dough and sweeping floors on repeat during this very busy Christmas week!

“Faith keeps the heart cheerful, fear keeps the heart serious.” Thomas Watson

“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1

“Faults are thick where love is thin.” English proverb

xoxo