Leigh Ann Nichols's

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Eyes: The Anchor to the Soul

  • August 24, 2020
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The past couple of weeks we have been back in school after 5 months of being separated.   Things are different than they were March 13th.   A few items: Each morning we “log” any symptoms and enter with a green check.  My classroom set-up is “spread” out for us to be socially distanced. The greeting into the class is with a squirt of sanitizer. The end of class is spent cleaning so the next group can come in with germs limited.  ...

God and the Waves

  • July 27, 2020
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Last week we just needed away.  A family friend graciously offered a place to stay in the panhandle of Florida and we packed up and spent a few days on the Emerald Coast with the pure white sand.  This is one of our FAVORITE PLACES.  The kids LOVE playing in the water, exploring, building sand castles and sea creatures, taking sunset walks and crab hunting at night. Oh…and the fresh seafood.   A couple of days during our stay, the ocean...

Remember who you are and whose you are…..

  • June 29, 2020
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Youth sports. For our family:  our two oldest boys play.  The youngest one (a girl)–hasn’t necessarily expressed all that much interest but put her in the gym and she does want a basketball in her hand (which makes this basketball coaching momma happy). We try and balance.  It is tough.  It can be demanding and some weeks it takes up probably more time than we would like.  But our boys love it–whether in the gym with a basketball or on...

My “Ode” to the Journey–A Sincere Heart

  • May 26, 2020
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God desires from us sincerity..He wants us to have a sincere heart (Ephesians 6:5); a sincere mind (2 Peter 3:1), a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5), a sincere wisdom (James 3:17); a sincere devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3), and a sincere brotherly love for other Christians (1 Peter 1:22). That means He wants our whole heart in every area of our life.  He wants us to be authentic.  He wants us to be real. Most of you know that...

Dear Betty Crocker Cookbook–and Thank You Grandmommy Kay

  • May 11, 2020
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Our word this week on Sheltered in Grace is HONOR.  When defined, it means to give esteem and respect for what someone has done.  I have been blessed with incredible grandmothers, a great mother, much like Timothy.  They have poured into me, guided me, pruned me when needed (even when it hurt), and helped mold me to who I am today.  So today, I want to honor one of them:  Kay Francis Beaman Hays–my maternal grandmother, whose influence still reigns heavily...

A Few Lessons We Can Learn….

  • April 20, 2020
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We had just received a package from my sweet mother-in-law of Texas Tech face masks for our entire family that she had sewn with love and expedited to our house in Tennessee.. Of course, we all put them on, took a family selfie (see below).. And Karis looks up at us and asks us why we had to wear the masks.   I was shocked.  She knows things are different right now.  She hasn’t left the house, hasn’t gone into a...

Brave–Make it the “in” thing….

  • March 30, 2020
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But __________ gets to do it? Why can’t I?   If you haven’t heard those words come out of your child’s mouth, the time will come.  For most of us, we have experienced it.   The fact is our children–from the time they hit school-aged to the time (well, let’s be honest here–adults)…this is a battle we will face.   The fear of rejection. The fear of not fitting in.   The fear of missing out.  (FOMO) It is real.  Satan knows how to...

Finding the Quiet…

  • March 3, 2020
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A few weeks ago, I was home alone. The entire night—I was home alone.  I can’t tell you the last time that happened; it was probably over 12 years ago.   The boys went on a trip to New Orleans for the Saints playoff game and Karis was asked to spend the night at a friend’s house.  I came home to an empty house (with the exception of three donkeys, two cows, two dogs, and 20 chickens) after coaching a basketball...

Friendship–Who is leading the navigation? (Part 2)

  • February 10, 2020
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As a continued post from last week https://shelteredingrace.com/index.php/2020/02/03/nobetterfriendthanjesus/ We need each other.  That is a fact. But friendship is hard.  Relationships are hard. Satan knows the power of “each other”, and he does everything to try and separate. Two are better than one though.  And our greatest friend we should have is Jesus.  Every celebration.  Every tear.  Every heartache should be brought to Him–FIRST.  He will never fail you. And He, while leaving his heavenly home and came here on earth,...

Friendship–No Better Friend Than Jesus (Part 1)

  • February 3, 2020
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Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, Two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes...