My friend, Darlene Schacht, has written a book that will help women to step into their roles as their husband’s helper.

I love Darlene. She has been someone dear to my heart for years. I know that when she puts her heart and mind to something that it is going to be grand. This book is no different.

Darlene will take you back to a time most of us only recall in movies: a time when women were confident enough in themselves to give their all to their husbands, their children, and their home. A time when even if you had a career you still cherished family above the “other stuff”. I hate to say it but this has sort of become old fashioned thinking. That is sad. Women can be all that God created them to be (career, ministry, hobby, craft) and still be able to be a helpful companion to their husband and a loving, present mother to their children. A lie we’ve been sold is that we have to choose one or the other.

Let me be clear. Having a career does not make you a successful woman. Staying home and taking care of your family does not make you a successful woman. What makes you a successful woman is wholeheartedly surrendering yourself to God and walking in what He has for you in every season of life. That is what Darlene teaches us in this book.

She shows you how she prefers to do things in her home and gives scripture references as to why she chose those things. She encourages you to seek Him for yourself to do the same. Find out what His plan for you is. How can you be the best helpmeet for your husband?

You can pick up a copy of the book here: The Good Wife’s Guide.

Are you looking to get out of debt? Was that one of your New Year’s commitments? If so, this book may help. Barry and Stacy Myers have written a helpful book on removing the burden of debt from your life and freeing your marriage to thrive in the process. It has lots of good, insightful approaches to eliminating debt and ways to get ahead even in the midst of life’s unforeseen circumstances.

You can get a copy here: For Debtor or Better.

TAX TIME and Blogging

Yes, it is that time again: tax season. If you make money from your blog or small business and you are uncertain about how to proceed for tax purposes, this is the book for you. Nikki, who is a professional bookkeeper with a degree, has answered all of your burning tax questions in this new ebook.

Can you claim your internet service? What if you buy craft supplies to make a craft for a post. Can you claim that? What forms do you fill out? What is the limit you can make without claiming it on income taxes? Should you be claiming your review products and giveaway items as income? Are blog conferences a write-off?

All these questions and more are answered in Nikki’s new book: Your Blogging Business, Tax Talk and Tips from a Bookkeeper Turned Blogger.

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

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You can also find me posting today over at RooMag by Candace Cameron Bure. I’m talking about repurposing items.

And, I’m speaking today at the Social Online Conference. My session is at 11am CST and I’ll be talking about how to find your niche in this online world.

If you are hopping over from the conference, you can find the materials I mention here: Handouts for Social Online Conference.

And if you happen to be looking for the rest of the 17 Days of Natural Cleaning series, it is coming. I had to take a break to tend to broken fingers, 2 babies with flu, and a major announcement that I’ll be making on Monday!

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

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Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

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I also wanted to share with you a little bit about a great opportunity. Misty Krasawski has put together an awesome Titus 2 University online bible study,  mentorship and adventure and it is all online. She is enlisting the help of some amazing women too. Registration just opened up today so hop on over and sign up!

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

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Christmas Eve was spent with Ryan’s family. I cooked a full spread Christmas meal from 10:30 am to 5:10pm…and it was good y’all! I gave my northern family a taste of a Cajun Christmas and they were impressed. I was so excited. That was my first time ever cooking the full meal and hosting a holiday meal. That’s because my family always has holiday meals at my sister’s house. My family lives about an hour away from us and because grandma finds it hard to travel we just go to them. That is where we spent Christmas day. Again, it was an awesome day!

Bonus plan was that Ryan was home for the week too so we got to spend a good bit of time together and we were able to make some plans for the new year. We will be debt free this year. We are determined.

God has given me such a renewed perspective of things. The word He keeps giving me over and over again is “purpose”. What purpose am I using this money for? If I buy this is it because I have a purpose for it or because I am inspired by it? What purpose am I giving to my time? My commitments?

I want to do things on purpose this year. I want to live life on purpose this year. I no longer want to react to it. What about you?

Something else I’ve been working on for the last year or so is transitioning to natural cleaning. We’ve tried and tested dozens (possibly 50 or more) recipes and tricks for natural cleaning that we found in books or on the web. Let me tell ya, they don’t all work.  After much trial and error –and baking soda/vinegar explosions– I’ve finally found what brings the results we want. I’ve broken it down into 17 days worth of posts to share with you what I’ve learned, and failed at,  so that if you are interested in natural cleaning this should give you a place to start. If you’re already using natural cleaning methods and supplies then maybe we can teach each other something.

This series will begin on Monday the 16th of January.

And don’t forget to check out the new site I am a part of: Homemaker’s Challenge. We are having an amazing giveaway over there this week. Don’t miss it!

Coming up this month is a repertoire of articles that will help you begin the new year with some purpose. They are inspirational but they are also practical and hands on posts that will help you to start tackling your New Year’s resolutions immediately. We will also be releasing our first ebook FREE to our faithful RSS subscribers. It is full of recipes, cooking tips, kitchen hacks, and it was written by a compilation of our contributors here so there is definitely a healthy variety in the content. Here is a sneak peek:

And my pride and joy. From now on, every Wednesday (starting 1-4-12) I will be posting a photo behind the photo. I’ll also let you know the tips I learned and applied to that particular photo shoot. This will be a new weekly blog hop that will allow us to go behind the photo to see what techniques or ideas I used and am learning to improve my blog photography and I invite you to do the same. You can see more information here: Behind the Photo.

How was your holiday? Was it as good or better than you hoped? Did you get to see family and friends?

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

Print this entry

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

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Marry Christmas to you!

My baby will be turning two early next year. The time flies by so quickly. Even with four boys there are still things I wish I’d known. I remember when I found out that I was pregnant with Matthias I couldn’t wait to go to the baby store and see what goodies were available. I had never heard of wraps, and comfy chairs that hold baby without them falling over, or even these nursing pillows. That wasn’t available 12 years ago when I had my last child. I wish I’d had something to direct me to what is new.

I think it is also great to hear from other moms. We inspire and motivate one another. I think that is why I enjoy American Baby Magazine.

Well, you can get your own new mom survival guide every month because American Baby is giving my readers a free subscription to their magazine…no strings attached. Just sign up and wait for it to be delivered! And if you are not a new mom then you can get a subscription for a new mom. It’s simple. Take advantage of it while you can!

Subscribe for free today: American Baby Magazine

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

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Life Savers® and Starburst® $1.50 off 2 Life Savers® or Starburst®

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Pillsbury® $1.00 off two Pillsbury® Refrigerated Cookie Dough

Pillsbury® $0.50 off 2 Pillsbury® Refrigerated pie crusts

Welch’s® $1.00 off two Welch’s® Sparkling Juice Cocktails

Vanity Fair® $1.00 off 2 packages of Vanity Fair® Napkins

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Barbie: A Perfect Christmas $3.00 off Barbie: A Perfect Christmas

Little Mommy $10.00 off Little Mommy My Very Real Baby Doll

Ding Card Game $3.00 off any one Ding Card Game

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

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Two Shipping Options to Get Cards by Christmas

Shop here: Tiny Affiliates Christmas and Greeting Cards and use the following code: FS5GIFT, Exp: 12/20 11:59pm PT

All Shipping Options: https://answers.tinyprints.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/126

Buy One Christmas or Hanukkah Greeting Card, Get One Free!
Customers who buy a Christmas greeting card or Hanukkah greeting card, can enjoy a second absolutely free. This offer applies exclusively to Christmas greeting cards and Hanukkah greeting cards and is not applicable to previously placed orders or stationery.

Shop here: Tiny Affiliates Christmas and Greeting Cards and use the following code: BOGO12 | Offer expires 12/20/11 at 11:59 pm (PT)

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

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For Two Days Only (offer ends Sunday)

EXPIRED: I’m sorry but this offer has expired. You can still purchase the workshops individually at their regular price at DIY Ministry: Blogging Workshops Online.

You can get the following online workshops, all five of them, for only $14.95. PLUS you get ebooks, guides, and other printables. Their value exceeds $300. This is a small investment with great reward.

There is no better time than now to learn how to use your blog to accomplish your goals. Start the new year out with a bang.

The workshops include:

Growing Your Online Presence

This workshop will address heart issues as well as focus on the skills, tools, and techniques needed to grow your presence online. Amy will help you discover your perspective, your “niche”. She will also teach you how to plan for success and purpose to achieve great things with your blog.

Amy Bayliss will give you the “secrets” to growing your online presence that are widely known but often overlooked and unpracticed. You will see results within weeks. This workshop will offer you a comprehensive step-by-step approach to growing your presence online.

SEO Basics and Strategies

Search Engine Optimization is not a scary process. It isn’t just for professionals and you don’t need a degree or certification to implement it. All you need is to have it explained in a way that you can relate to. Amy can do that for you.

SEO can improve the volume and quality of the traffic driven to your website from search engines. I can help you define a targeted list of keywords relevant to your site and it’s perspective or “niche”. Amy will also teach you how to add those keywords your website in the places where they matter most.

Amy Bayliss will walk you through the process of optimizing your blog or web platform and give you tools and techniques that you can implement immediately. You will see results within days.

From Blogger to Entrepreneur

If you need to know how to transition your blog from a personal memoir to a source of income then this workshop is for you. You will learn the following: how to prepare for monetization by increasing traffic, readership and influence; what revenue sources are out there and how to maximize their income; and how to find companies to pitch, what to pitch them and how much to charge.

Amy Bayliss will walk you through the process of transitioning, developing, and maximizing income potential with your blog. Through case studies and practical application, From Blogger to Entrepreneur will offer you a comprehensive step-by-step approach to earning money with your blog. This workshop includes a pre-recorded two hour workshop including a Q & A session and a full copy of Amy’s mini ebook, How to Create an Effective Media Kit.

Crafting an Effective and Captivating Post

This workshop will focus on the art of crafting an effective and captivating blog post. Amy will teach you techniques for writing strong headlines, engaging readers, encouraging discussion, and ……. We’ll also discuss how to promote your post once you’ve written it.

Amy Bayliss teaches you what’s important to your current and potential readers when it comes to your content. You will learn about perspective, writing, structure, editing, photography, promotion, and interaction. This workshop will offer you a comprehensive step-by-step approach to crafting a post that connects with your audience.

Embracing Online Media (and What to do With It!)

Christians in internet based ministry, media, business, and marketing is a growing concept and it is catching on at an alarming rate. Thousands of people log on to social networking sites, write or read blogs, and participate in forums on a daily basis. They enjoy being a part of an encouraging and uplifting group but some long to do more. They long to lead. The problem is that they don’t know where to begin.

Amy Bayliss will teach you how to approach building an online platform from a biblical perspective. You want to know where to start and step by step what to do. She will give you that information.

Only $14.95!
Within 24 hours after your payment is processed you will receive an email that will include the link to Amy’s pre-recorded workshops. Some of the pdfs can be downloaded from within the workshop software.

Testimonials:

I am so thankful for DIY ministry! I am a “newbie” when it comes to blogging and running a site and to be honest, it can be very overwhelming to learn it all! But I have no need to worry because Amy has taken me by the hand and started from Step 1, to show me everything I need to know to be a successful site owner. Both ladies at DIY Ministry are ready and willing, with incredible knowledge to answer any question I have and help me every step of the way! ~ Ruth Schwenk, The Better Mom

I talked with Amy for an hour, and within a week my search engine traffic had doubled. She pointed me to easy things I could fix on my website that I would never have thought of, and I saw the differences almost immediately. Definitely money well spent! ~ Sheila Wray Gregoire, To Love, Honor, and Vacuum

Recently I had the incredible opportunity to hire consulting time with Amy Bayliss. The only negative thing I can say is that I wish I had done it SOONER! Amy was chock full of wisdom and information. Not only that, but Amy truly cares. I felt like I was having a cup of coffee with an old friend. She was so personable and just down right friendly. She gave me the much needed direction I needed to help take my blog to a whole new level. Honestly, I just can’t say enough about her and the services she offers. In the vast internet it is hard to find where you fit in, but with Amy’s help, talent, wisdom and experience, I have found my place in the cyberworld! ~ Chelsey Hall, Chelsey’s Journey and At the Well

When I started blogging it was to keep my out-of-state family in the loop but 3 years ago, my blogging became more purposeful. I knew I needed to get serious about blogging – more focused on my content – more goal-oriented. So I looked to Amy and she shared her knowledge with me! I immediately implemented the quick changes and am steadily working on the others to bring my blog to the place that it will not only be a blessing to those who visit, but bless my family as well as a source of income. If you need any direction, any guidance on how to do that, the money you spend with Amy will be INVALUABLE! She will give you direction and share all of her insider knowledge about blogging, SEO and income generation. Hurry! You won’t regret it! ~ Mary Hess, MaryHess.com

Amy has such a gift in helping people see their vision. She shares tips that are so valuable throughout her sessions. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to get more out of their blogging, whether it is to have a business or ministry or both. It is more than worth it! ~ Angela Richter, Mom with Heart


Only $14.95!
Within 24 hours after your payment is processed you will receive an email that will include the link to Amy’s pre-recorded workshops. Some of the pdfs can be downloaded from within the workshop software.

Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can benefit you!

• True Simplicity in Life: Truly inspiring ways to simplify and be content in your home.
Simply Clean: Guide to Homemade Cleaners!
• One Bite at a Time (52 Projects for Making Life Simpler)
• Feasts in 15: One of the best "quick cooking" cookbooks around.
• Tell Your Time: A revolutionary way to get more done!
• List Plan It: Get life in order.
• The Fresh 20: This is the service I use...FABULOUS!
• ProBlogger's Guide to Your First Week of Blogging

Print this entry