If you're scared of the future, read this (and if you're not scared, still open this for yummy bread recipes!)

Plus, lots of family pictures, book updates, a movie we watched Hi, Friend! The world feels a bit like this sandbox right now… messy, scattered, full of chaos and broken pieces. There’s fear about the future. There are many unknowns. We seem to constantly be living in “unprecedented times”. You wonder how many more historic events we can experience in the space of a year. You maybe wish there could be more order, more calm, less chaos, less division, less brokenness. And yet, in this same sandbox is a beautiful picture of redemption. There’s a little boy and a little girl who are walking out the picture of a healing journey. A little boy whose mama fought so hard to overcome many obstacles in order to reunify with him after he was in foster care. A little boy whose mama continues to fight hard every day. A little boy and his mama whose story has intertwined with ours (through us getting the opportunity to foster him as a baby and now walk with him and his mama) and forever changed our lives and taught us so much. In the midst of brokenness and mess, there is hope. There is goodness. There is beauty. There is healing. There is redemption. Instead of letting fear win, let’s be people who choose hope. Who quietly rebel against the narrative of fear that the media and politicians want us to fall prey to by choosing to live fully and wholly right where we are. To not cower, but have courage. To fight for our marriages, to disciple our kids, to love wholeheartedly, to give generously, to smile, to show up, to bring a word of kindness, to live in confidence because we know that this world is not our final home. Let us be the generation of people who trust Jesus like never before because we know that our long- lasting hope is not in a person or a politician or a change of policy; it is in Jesus and Jesus alone. Let’s be the hope-bringers. The joy-givers. The gratitude-choosers. Let’s fight against fear by living lives of faith as we look to Him who is our greatest hope: Jesus. ❤️ Quietly Rebelling Against the Narrative of Fear Jesse and I dive into this topic above more on [the podcast this week](). Fear sells. It’s nothing new. It’s a classic marketing tactic. But with the development and advancement of technology like AI, it is easier than ever to create things like “screenshots” of social media posts that aren’t real and share them on social media, with many people accepting them as true without fact-checking. Fake tweets, doctored photos, and misleading statements are just a few examples of how fear is being manufactured to stir up emotions and incite reactions. Listen in as we explore how political campaigns and media often exploit fear to sway public opinion, making us feel like we’re in a constant state of crisis. Jesse and I discuss the implications of living in a fear-driven culture and how and why it’s important to rebel against the fear through educating ourselves, questioning what we’re fed, setting boundaries on our media consumption, and ultimately looking to the Lord. We challenge you to reflect on how fear might be influencing your decisions and interactions. Are you letting it dictate your actions or steal your peace? I hope this episode encourages you! [Listen to this podcast episode here.]() = I'm SO excited because I made whole wheat sourdough starter and then made whole wheat sourdough bread!! [Here's the recipe I used.](=) First day of high school for Silas! I love the way that he's looking at his sister and holding his brother's hand. He's such a joy to our home and I just love watching him become a man! We did some deep cleaning, including the pantry! We moved all of the extra items downstairs to make things much more organized. It feels like our pantry can breathe again and I can better see what we have on hand and what we need to stock up on! I made more [French Bread](=) this week. If you haven't tried this recipe, [you're missing out!](=) I took Kierstyn and Micah to paint pottery after preschool pick-up on Friday. They LOVED it!! Kaitlynn has been fixing Kierstyn's hair every day for school. They love to look online together to get hairstyle ideas! Speaking of Kaitlynn, she made French Bread, too, this week. It was her first time to make yeast bread and it turned out beautifully! She used half whole wheat and half white flour. What I'm Currently Reading/What I Read Last Week Book finished this week: [You Are Not Behind](=) -- I dog-eared so many pages in this book. It would be such an encouragement to anyone who is struggling with feeling like they aren't where they'd hoped to be and everyone else seems to be getting the opportunities or open doors. I'm doing a podcast episode with the author soon! Stay tuned! Currently reading: [Momma Moments with God]() [Slow Productivity]() -- SO good! I may end up doing a podcast on this because it's impacting me so much! [Resilient: The True Story of CrossFit's Greatest Comeback](=) [Through the Eyes of a Lion]() Shows/Movies We've Watched Recently Jesse and I watched [My Spy]( this past week. While a bit cheesy in parts and there was a little language, we both overall really enjoyed it and found it really funny in parts! I've heard the sequel isn't as good... have you seen it? Psst! Looking for ways to watch movies and shows for free? Scroll down in this email and check out the [FREE Sling TV deal]()! = Get your ticket for this FREE Online Organizing Event! I’m so excited to be one of this year’s [Get Organized HQ Virtual speakers](=)! This huge online event will take place September 9-14, 2024. There will be over 100 workshops to watch and they'll roll out daily. You’ll have 24 hours to watch each video for FREE. I’ll be presenting a class on How to Save $1000+/Year By Reverse Meal Planning! But there are so many other good sessions – here are just a few that I think will be so helpful: - Cas from Clutterbug is speaking on How to Help Your FAMILY Declutter - Dawn from The Minimal Mom is speaking on the concept of Home Hushing - Dana K White from A Slob Comes Clean is sharing about her No Mess Decluttering Process - Christine from Frugal Fit Mom is speaking on Tips to Stop Feeling Stressed Out By Your House And truly, that is just the tip of the iceberg! With over 100 sessions at Get Organized HQ Virtual there is something for everyone regardless of your season of life or interests! Be sure to [go grab your FREE ticket](=)! Kierstyn has been loving this educational program! Kierstyn has really been enjoying [ABCmouse]( lately -- an online early educational program. It's so fun and has a full online curriculum program in multiple subjects including reading, math science, and art! It's great for independent learning! You can use it supplementally with school or even use it as part of a homeschool curriculum. [Click here to try 30 days for FREE!]( Overwhelmed with household tasks? Download these [FREE Simplified Home Checklists]( to help you organize your days, weeks, and months! And we have two versions for you -- one if you're outside the home most of the day and one if you're at home most of the day. [Click here to download your FREE checklists!]() = Our screened-in patio furniture is on sale! WooHoo! Amazon has our [Screened-In Patio Furniture Set on sale for $499.99 shipped](=) right now! This is the lowest price on record! As you can tell from how young Kierstyn is in the photo above, we've had this set for quite some time and LOVE it. It's gotten so much use and we still use it every single day! (If you [follow me on Instagram](, you have probably seen this patio set in my stories dozens and dozens of times!) This is such a [GREAT deal on this set]()! Choose from [several different colors](=) at this great price. FREE Access to over 500+ live TV channels! Did you know that Sling TV now offers a completely free streaming service called [Sling Freestream](=)that gives you access to over 500+ live TV channels and 40,000 free on demand shows and movies!? No credit card is required and there are no strings attached. This is just a [completely FREE streaming service](=) that Sling TV offers. (Note: It is ad-supported.) Links You Should Check Out: [10 Frugal Things I Don't Do]() -- When it comes to a lot of things in life, I’m a big believer in counting the time costs and looking at the return on investment. And this is also true with frugality! I hope my list encourages you that no one can prioritize all the frugal things all the time and there are seasons where certain things work and seasons when they aren’t a good choice. [Chocolate Sundae Pie](=) -- My sister, Brigette, shared a longtime family favorite dessert from our childhood on the blog today! This is such an easy, frugal dessert recipe that you can make ahead of time! _______________ Have a wonderful week! -Crystal P.S. Are you [following me on Instagram](? If not and you love my personal enewsletters, you'd probably really enjoy [all the behind-the-scenes and real-life updates I share there!](=) I'd love to connect with you there! [Unsubscribe]( Money Saving Mom, LLC 2020 Fieldstone Parkway, Ste. 900 #313 Franklin, Tennessee 37069 United States