Moments : Brave and Strong – Significant and Free

I love putting truth all over my house. Written on the mirror in my kid’s bathroom are the words, “Let your light shine before men.” In my hallway, above a collection of pictures I have the words, “Family is believing in one another.” In our home, we have “Family Rules,” scriptures and cute quotes scattered about. 

Some of you may remember back in February I posted about the two most important things my husband and I wanted to instill in our children; that they would know their significance, and, that they would be free. Ever since that post, I’ve thought I need to get those words above my kid’s bedroom doors (or somewhere we see them daily) so I remember to pray that over them and work towards that goal. 

Just a couple weeks ago, my four year old added two more words to that list. When she was faced with a situation she was worried about, instead of getting upset (she’s known around these parts for her dramatic ways), she started whispering to herself, "I'm brave and I'm strong, I'm brave and I'm strong," until whatever she was concerned about had passed. So when she stubbed her toe and broke her toenail past the quick, as I went to cut off the broken part I braced myself for a battle. To my amazement, instead of crying and not letting me near it, she let me take care of it, while reassuring herself she was "brave and strong." 

So today I am happy to share with you the finished sign that I'm putting up. To download a free 8 x 10 printable version of this sign CLICK HERE.

Psalm 56:3-4
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee. In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid.

Lanise Santala

April Moments: Content & Grateful

When I was young both of my parents had a love for music and a love of singing.  They even traveled around the world in an evangelistic singing group when they were in college.  At times, I found their passion embarrassing as they wouldn't just sing the songs during worship, they would sing loudly, and with what seemed to me to be dramatic inflection in their voices, sing harmonies and runs.  Mostly though, I loved that we would sing in the car as a family and I loved to sit on the piano bench next to my mom and sing with her.  One of my favorite songs to sing with her was Jehovah-Jireh. The lyrics are simple. "Jehovah Jireh, my provider, His grace is sufficient for me, my God shall supply all my needs, according to His riches and glory, He will give His angels charge over me, Jehovah Jireh cares for me." 

I have found myself singing this often through the years even though I haven't heard it in church or on the radio in a very long time.  Now as I reflect on these lyrics they have been some of the most impacting theology I've ever known.  My life wasn't and isn't all "sing-along’s" and "Sundays."  There have been many times where the circumstances of my life have told me I'm alone, I don't have enough, it won't be okay, or this situation won't get better. But standing on the truth that God is my provider and He is full of riches and glory, He cares about me, He watches over me and His grace is sufficient for me, has made the difference between a life of "if onlys" and a life of trusting Him in all things. Choosing to be grateful in all circumstances and finding true contentment. 

As a mother in today's society, teaching our kids to be grateful and content can only happen if we ourselves have learned to be. God is good, He is able, and He loves to take care of His kids. 

Lanise Santala

Philippians 4:19

King James Version (KJV)

But my God shall supply all your need
according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

My February "Moments"

As a mom, I spend a lot of time loving what my kids love; pushing them on a swing, putting together a puzzle, reading a favorite book over and over again, and playing a video game that I am surely going to lose. I look for ways to connect with them as individuals knowing each of them is unique. One loves quality time, one loves words of affirmation, one loves some good snuggle time. 

This morning I was aware that the roles were reversed. My third son Jacob asked if he could get me my coffee. He then brought it to me in the mug he had bought me for Christmas. As I drank it and thought about his thoughtful gesture, I realized he was loving me in the way he knew I’d appreciate it. An act of service and a hot cup of coffee . 

Acts of love bear sweet fruit. 

Enjoy your moments.

Lanise Santala

January Moments

Have you ever taken one of those personality type tests?  If you have, you know we are all a mixture of characteristics, some of which are more prominent than others, but each making us unique. I've taken my share over the years and suffice it to say, I don't have a type-A cell in my body. I love to let the day take me where it leads. I love to spend time with people. I love spontaneity and I struggle with schedules and check lists. One look in my closets and cabinets would tell you organization doesn't come naturally to me.  

But that doesn’t keep me from trying…

When I was a new mom and my son was about one and half I went through a season of searching to find meaning in the repetitiveness of my daily routine. I would find myself thinking, "Really?  I have to figure out 3 meals and 2 healthy snacks every day?" And, "How are there 8 loads of laundry to do when I just did the laundry last week?" It would often take everything in me to get up after dinner to do the dishes, all the while grumbling to myself about how not fun it was.  

One day when I was cleaning the bathroom with a grumbling spirit I heard the Lord speak to my heart. He said, “Turn your work into times of praise.”  Simple, yet so profound and for me life changing.  I soon found myself tearing up with gratitude and a humbled heart as I would scrub stains from my son’s jeans and thank the Lord for a healthy toddler who loved to play outside. I would make dinner and it would turn into times of thanking God for His provision for my family. I would turn up the praise music and dance while cleaning my home, letting the music spill out the open windows to my neighbors. I began to realize the great joy of what it meant to be a mom, a wife and a homemaker.

Whether you are a master organizer or more like me, we are all given a choice in how we respond to the demands of each day. It’s often about our perspective and I don’t know of any better way to get our perspective right than through thanksgiving and praise to God.

Have a blessed day and enjoy your “Moments” with your family.

Lanise Santala

Colossians 5:15-17

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

December Moments...

The gift of joy filled memories.

The most important gift to give your kids this Christmas can’t be bought in a store or found online. The gift isn’t dependent on your income or getting the deal of the day.  More than anything under the tree or what is in their stockings they will remember how they felt during this season.  

Children will remember the smile on your face, the words from your mouth, the sense of belonging to a great love and the feelings of well being that hang in the air. They will remember the sounds of laughter, the feeling of a big hug and the sight of their family together.  Their senses will register a contentedness of spirit that this world can not fulfill.  It is the eternal nature of love.  

Joy filled memories are the most treasured gifts we can give our children this season.  

“Joy is the serious business of Heaven”  C.S. Lewis

Lanise Santala

Moments: Stones of Remembrance

Joshua 4:1-24 tells part of the story of God's guidance and provision for His people.  At the end of chapter 4 God instructs them to set 12 stones to remember their journey. Several years ago I wanted to find a way to keep the faithfulness of God before my family. I wanted a visual reminder of the ways God has blessed us, provided for us, and moved mountains on our behalf.   We came up with our “Stones of Remembrance”, which I’ll explain below. 

One of our largest “stones” of how God provided for our family was the financial provision for our first born Isaiah.  My husband and I had felt the Lord leading us to join a mission organization called Youth With A Mission.  That meant quitting our jobs, letting go of our insurance and moving away from our family and friends.  Three weeks after joining YWAM I became pregnant with Isaiah. Prior to leaving I had been told by an expert in fertility that I would struggle to get pregnant because of damage my reproductive organs had suffered during my stressful adolescence. We also were using birth control so you can imagine our surprise when the test we took was positive.  We had planned on waiting several years to be in a more secure place financially before having kids, but God had other plans. During my pregnancy people kept reaching out to me saying “I feel like God wants you to have this verse”,  and it was always Matthew 6:25-34.  To me this said, “Don’t worry about how you will provide for your child, I will provide for your family”.  We saw this was true time and time again during my pregnancy and in the months following Isaiah's birth.  

One of the greatest examples of this was 2 months after our son was born. We were weeks away from paying off the balance which was in the thousands for my doctors care during the pregnancy - we had about $100 to our names.  My husband was going through our files when he came across a tax return check for almost the exact amount, minus about $15 dollars, that had been issued a few weeks before our son was conceived. We were floored. Neither of us remembers getting that check, certainly we don’t remember filing it away and we would have surely spent it on other things had we been aware of it. It was as if God had hidden it from us until right when we needed it and then used the date it was issued to assure us that even before Isaiah was conceived God knew all we would need and had provided it.  This was a significant moment in time for our family.  Learning to trust that, as we step out in obedience, God is faithful to provide.  

What are some examples of God providing for your family that you want to make sure you and your children remember?  God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Remembering His faithfulness in small and big ways gives us faith and hope for the needs of tomorrow.

Joshua 4:21 - Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; 23 for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

Stones of Remembrance

 What you will need

• Large glass vase
• Sand
• Stones
• Journal (optional)

Start by having one of your kids or yourself pour in about an inch or two of sand in the bottom of the vase and read Psalms 139 :17-18

"How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with you."

Looking for a new Thanksgiving tradition?  Consider taking turns remembering times when God provided for your family and place a stone for each of those times. You may want to keep a journal and write down what your stones represent.  We keep our vase out year round with a bowl of stones next to it for whenever someone in the family is aware of God’s moving on behalf of them so we can continue to add to the vase.

"Moments" with Lani

Mariah Santala
5 years old

Smile...
there are good things to come.

I have by my sink a beautiful hand painted version of Proverbs 31, “The wife of noble character”, that a friend of mine gifted me years ago.  Currently my favorite verse is verse 25 which says “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the days to come.”  She is a woman who has joy and hope and she can smile at the days to come.

It’s important as a mom that I teach my kids to hope and develop in our family culture a joyful anticipation of good things to come. In order to do this, though, I first have to believe good things are coming.   During seasons of sorrow and hardship it can be difficult, but that is when my family and I need hope and joy the most. As I reflect and rest in the nature of God, in His goodness and His love, I am able to smile at the days to come even during trying times.  In doing so I believe my children grow in their faith and their hope for what tomorrow will bring.

John 16:33

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. 
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Lanise Santala

Moments: Could you bless your sister?

I have friends who have seven kids.  They live on a sprawling five acres in  a farm style, two-story home that’s painted country blue. And yes, it does have a wrap around porch and a red barn out back.  My boys love to visit them because they are a great family and because they have motorcycles, a trampoline, air soft guns, zip lines and more.  

I remember my husband and I sitting at the kitchen table one night after dinner; talking with our friends. Every few minutes one of their younger kids would come in and ask their father a question.  He would answer and we would pick up our conversation.  After a few times he asked one of his older kids who was walking by, “Could you bless your sister and help her with what she’s trying to do?”  

The phrasing of his questions struck me.  “Could you bless your sister?”  I loved that it wasn’t, “Could you do me a favor?”, or “Can you do your sister a favor?”.  In that simple question he was giving his child a tangible example of what it means to choose to be a blessing.  He honored the older child with the choice and provided for the need of the younger.

May we look for opportunities to teach our kids to be a blessing to each other.  


Romans 12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Moments: Nurturing the Nature of God in our Homes.

Do you ever feel like you don’t know where to begin when you see your child struggling with an issue?  Sometimes I feel very black and white. “Right is right and you are not in the right, thus sayth MOM!”  Sometimes I get worried, and wonder if this will lead to major issues later in life. What if they never grow in this area and will that ultimately mean I failed them?  Often I feel more like “Seriously, we just went over this 10 minutes ago, and yesterday and the day before that". (Then I remind myself love is long suffering).  Sometimes I empathize because I know it’s hard to grow up and there’s a lot they are processing. 

I have Proverbs 24 :3-4  in my home office and I read it every day when I sit down to work.  It says, 

“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;  through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures."  

I have it in my house because I want my physical home to be filled with wisdom, understanding and the beauty of the Lord’s presence.  But recently when I read it I was reminded that everything I have ever wanted to teach my kids and see them take hold of, comes back to knowing the Lord, growing in His truth, and then living their lives in a way that brings glory to God.

My current prayer is:

"Lord, help me to remember and reflect on Your nature so that I can teach them about Your nature in order that their thinking and mine will be informed and changed." 

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

Moments: El Roi - The God Who Sees ME!

"Mom, look at me," Mariah (4) says as she delights in her new found ability to pump her legs and make the swing go higher and higher all on her own.  

"Mom, come see what I've made," Jacob (10) says as he ushers me into his room and proudly shows me the house he built in his video game.  

"Mom, do you want to hear the new song I wrote?" Isaiah(17) says after hours in the office working out new rifts on his guitar. 

"Mom, you have to see this,"  Isaac(14) says after watching something funny a friend of his posted on Facebook.  

All of these happening within the last couple of days reminded me that we are all born with a profound need to be seen.  One of the things that helped me through some of the hardest places in my life, especially in my childhood, was the assurance that God saw me and knew my circumstances.  He rejoiced in my achievements and grieved over my heart aches. He understood my failures and remembered all my days as He led me into my tomorrows. 

Take comfort today in the shadow of El Roi - The God who sees you.

Genesis 16:13 She (Hagar) gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me, ” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” 

Enjoy your "moments",  

Lanise Santala

Moments: Heart Gardeners

I have this picture in my head of me in gardening clothes with a sun hat and gloves, a shovel in one hand and rake in the other.  When in reality I have had very limited experience and mediocre success in actually growing a garden.  A few years ago for Mother's Day my wonderful husband and my amazing boys gave me a patch of dirt 18’ x 20’.  

They had spent days clearing it of debris, weeding, turning the soil, adding top soil and now it was officially a rectangle of soft, flat, raked land ready to receive plants.  After church and a Mother’s Day celebration meal, we headed out back to plant the pallet of plants we had bought as well as some seeds.  A couple hours in we were all coming to terms with how much work this was going to be.  We made mounds for the melons, rows for the beans, and caged the tomato plants.  When we finished that day we felt a great sense of accomplishment.  We had romantic notions of the organic readily available vegetables we were going to be able to harvest and bring straight from the garden to the table.  


As time went on we had some success.  Some of the plants flourished and others never popped their heads above the ground (stubborn melons!).  I didn’t thin the carrots and they grew into weird shapes, which delighted my 8 year old.  The garden required constant attention; watering, weeding, pruning, and protecting from a myriad of pests. At the end of the season when we were debating turning the soil over so it would be ready to replant the following year, we made the decision to pour concrete over it and build a pergola.  We decided that right now in this season for our family it was more than we could manage.  


As a mother I have also pictured myself as a gardener.   I view the soil of my children’s hearts as my responsibility.  When I see hard spots that need to be broken up and made soft I go after it.  When I see weeds of sinful attitudes pop up I search for the root and pull it out.  I water them with love and provide the sun light of joy and laughter.  I ask the Lord what He is doing (growing) in them and work alongside Him offering supports (trellises) and shoring up the areas that need it to maximize the opportunity for growth.  I plant the seed of truth (God’s word). Unlike the garden in my back yard, my children’s hearts are a garden that I cannot afford to chalk up to too much work.  I have to stay vigilant and purposeful.  Trusting in good time the fruit of my labor will bless them and position them to reach their full potential.  

Enjoy your "Moments",

Lanise Santala

The Parable of the Sower
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.


Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Matthew 13:1-9 (NIV)

Moments: What if failure equals strength for tomorrow?

As parents we wish we could shield our children from all kinds of pain:  injury, sadness, loneliness, and failure.  One of my sons had a particularly hard time learning to read.  

He had been to a private school for Kindergarten but we had felt the Lord lead us to home school him and his brother for a couple of years.  During the first several months of first grade he loved school, except when it came time to read.  He'd become restless and distracted.  I tried moving reading time to the couch hoping to help him feel more comfortable but he’d end up laying on his side, half on the couch, half off, upside down, and standing up.  He’d work really hard to sound out a new word and after much effort he’d get it only to forget it when it would show up in the next sentence and have to go through all the work again.  

I hated seeing him so uncomfortable and discouraged. One day I asked the Lord what to do.  Feeling inadequate as a mom who wasn’t a trained teacher to give him the help he needed, I felt the Lord lead me a passage in James.

James 1:2-4 which says;  ²Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

I then felt the Lord tell me when it was time read each day to place my hand on his head and thank Him (the Lord) for the great mind He had given my son and then just do the lesson with an optimistic light-hearted approach, trusting that God was using this struggle to produce perseverance in my sons character.  It wasn’t until 4^th grade that he saw a full break through with his reading and then soared, scoring the highest in his class in speed and comprehension.  

Romans 8:28 assures us the following... ²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

Praise God, even our failures can become strength for tomorrow. 

Enjoy your "moments",

Lanise Santala

March Moments: Beware of Monsters

My husband and I sit on the couch winding down from the day and our second born calls out for me.  I go into the bedroom he and his older brother share.  He’s laying there in his bed, 4 years old, his eyes filled with anxiety.  “Mom, I can’t fall asleep, I’m afraid.”  What are you afraid of I ask.  “Monsters”, he says.   He had been struggling for several weeks with this fear, and although we didn’t let him watch shows with scary or inappropriate content, still his mind filled with scary images and thoughts as he lay in bed at night.   At the same time I talk to him I prayed and asked the Lord what to do.  Then it came to me -  I needed to put a sword in his hand.  I had him sit up and told him, “I’m going to teach you a bible verse tonight, and each time you feel afraid I want you to say this until you feel better”.  

2 Timothy 1:7...
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

As we practiced it together we made up hand motions to reinforce it in his mind.  I wrote the verse on a piece of paper and taped it above his bed.  

Now ten years later he has a very strong and secure way about him.  He recently drew this picture and it brought me right back to that time when he was such a little guy trying to deal with some very big feelings.  

Enjoy your "moments"!

Lanise Santala

Moments: Significant & Free!

It happens at least once a day around our home.  We instruct our kids to apologize to each other, or to one of us, or we find ourselves apologizing to them.  At the heart of it is always the same thing...  Someone treated the other in a way that didn’t show honor and love.  


Years ago my husband and I were talking about what we wanted more than anything else to instill in our kids.  We summed it up to two things.






            They would know their significance and that they would be free.  

Lanise Santala and her daughter, Mariah
Mariah has three older brothers.

When we teach them that they are created in the imagine of God; full of purpose and love, to the extent that God laid down His life to make a way back to relationship with Him, we teach them that they have great worth. We teach them that all people are worthy of being treated with honor.  When we teach our kids to apologize when they’ve done wrong, and model that in our own lives, we provide them the path to true freedom.

Freedom in Christ

Galatians 5:1

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Colossians 3:12-14

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Enjoy your "Moments",

Lanise Santala

MOMENTS: Little things - Big impact

Mariah and her mom, Lani Santala

Sometimes the little things make the biggest impact.  Teach you kids to see the subtle clues all around them and to search out the sacred.  A sun rise reflecting off the dew on the leaves, the way it feels when the wind takes your breath away, the way a hug feels.  These are all signs, reminders that the Maker of all creation and the Lover of our souls cares and is present in every second of our day. 

Lanise Santala