Claresa | Finding Inspiration | A Faith-Based Lifestyle & Culture Blog by writer, Claresa Smith
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Claresa | Finding Inspiration | A Faith-Based Lifestyle & Culture Blog by writer, Claresa Smith
  • Faith
  • Living
    • Home + Family
    • Relationships
    • Wellness
    • Work + Productivity
  • Culture
    • people & ideas
    • arts & entertainment
    • books & reviews
  • Features
    • Elsewhere
    • Poetry
    • Series
      • Five Minute Friday
      • Living Inspired Series
      • Sunday Songs
  • About
    • About The Blog
    • Disclosures/Privacy Policy
  • Shop
    • Shop My Favorites

Posts by tag

books & reviews

7 posts
View Post
  • 4 min
  • Work + Productivity

When Our Work Of Art Gives Us Hope During Heartbreak

  • Posted on February 3, 2016January 27, 2019
  • byClaresa Smith
She boarded a plane headed to Hawaii to visit her sister, nieces, and nephews. It was just weeks before her own book was due to arrive on bookshelves. A book…
View Post
  • 3 min
  • Reviews

Grace in the Middle [REVIEW]

  • Posted on August 27, 2015August 2, 2018
  • byClaresa Smith
When writer Wendy Duke wrote in her book Grace in the Middle that nobody told her how hard parenting would be, I believe she was telling the truth. I know I heard quite a few stories about motherhood before my daughter was born, but there’s nothing quite like living it out.
View Post
  • 4 min
  • Wellness

On Finding The Right Pace + My Fall Reading Wish List

  • Posted on August 12, 2015August 8, 2018
  • byClaresa Smith
It’s hard to believe that in a couple weeks, children across the south will be back in school. That means many parents with older children are wrapping up their vacations…
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  • 3 min
  • Reviews

Choosing Him All Over Again [REVIEW]

  • Posted on January 26, 2015August 2, 2018
  • byClaresa Smith
When I met my husband seven years ago, I never thought he would ever become my husband. He was just a nice guy I’d met at church. It wasn’t until…
View Post
  • 3 min
  • Reviews

The Energy Bus [REVIEW]

  • Posted on July 2, 2014August 2, 2018
  • byClaresa Smith
For years, I sat in the producer chair as an entire team of people helped make sure a newscast made it on the air without a hitch. The best days…
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  • 3 min
  • Relationships

The Conversation That Helped Me See The Importance Of Chronicling My Life

  • Posted on October 21, 2009August 8, 2018
  • byClaresa Smith
I’ve called myself a writer for years. Not because I spent countless hours reading literary classics with the desire to emulate the great authors who wrote them. Not because I…

Hey! I’m a wife, homeschooling mom, creative, and the woman behind Finding Inspiration. This space is all about finding the good stuff in our lives that can motivate us to live with faith, love well, learn daily, and create beauty—using our God-given gifts, talents, and resources. Welcome!

Sign up to get posts and updates by email, and I'll send you this gift: a printable guide with the 5 Challenges To Finding Inspiration & 5 Scriptures For Encouragement On Your Journey.

  • Starting to do new things to feed my soul and make my heart happy. Waking up early—before anyone gets up—to write is one of them. I close myself off in a guest room I’ve started to use as an office and work on some of the things that make me feel creative and productive. .
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I’ve always been a night person, but the calm and the quiet time alone the past few mornings have been so wonderful because I get a lot done and I don’t feel like I have to spend the day fighting for moments of stillness. Are you a morning person? Night person? How do you add a little quiet to your day? .
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#findinginspiration #livinginspired #makelifecount #morning #morningroutines #writing #writinglife #bloggerlife #atlblogger #atlantablogger #faithblogger #christianblogger #momblogger #selfcare #soulcare #workspace
    37 8
  • This has to be one of my all-time favorite photos of me and the kids. #momlife is hard sometimes. It requires me to give more than I’ve ever given before and in ways I never thought I’d have to. But I also get so much more in return than I ever expected. And I’m happy to embrace it all. #HesWorkingForMyGood .
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#findinginspiration #livinginspired #makelifecount #embraceyourmotherhood  @embraceyourmotherhood #realmotherhood #magical_motherhood @magical_motherhood #blackmotherhood #bloggermom
    69 7
  • It’s taken a long time for me to be able to say that I love myself and who I was created to be. .
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I admit I was one of those people who let the media, others’ opinions and their behaviors shape what I thought of myself. I even tried to build my identity on those things.
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The worse I was treated or my being criticized, the more I felt unloved and devalued. Then I questioned if I was even worthy of anything better. .
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Then I realized I had been feeding myself lies and clinging to other people’s opinions when I should have been holding onto my Creator’s truth.
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I wrote about all of that and offer some #encouragement for you in a new post up now on the blog. #linkinbio
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 #findinginspiration #inspirationforlife #christianinspiration #livinginspired #makelifecount #bloggerlife #atlblogger #atlantablogger #momblogger #lifestyleblogger #faithblogger
    67 2
  • #wednesdaywisdom Collect beautiful moments. I’m not sure who coined the phrase, but a friend reminded me of it last night. .
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With a strong-willed preschooler and a boundary-testing toddler, each day can be filled with moments that look and sound anything but beautiful. And today definitely had its share of them. .
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But I’m so glad I captured this morning moment, as my littles hugged each other so tight they fell over and erupted in giggles. It’s a moment that turned into a memory I’ve held onto all day. And it gave me a reason to smile again when I wanted to scream, cry, or just complain about everything that didn’t go the way I hoped. #keepinghopealive .
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#findingjoy #choosejoy #momlife #realmotherhood #encouragement #inspiration #findinginspiration #livinginspired #makelifecount #kidsofinstagram
    45 5
  • I’ve been using this treadmill for a while, so I can get in some more intense cardio workouts at home. I’ve never been a runner, but I’ve always wanted to build my speed and endurance. Plus, the idea of spending time alone, zoning out and running while listening to my favorite music, podcast, or book seemed appealing.
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Oftentimes, I’d put it in program mode, choose one particular program, watch it get to it’s highest speeds, and struggle to keep up. My finger frantically trying to feel for the decrease speed button. But yesterday, when that same treadmill program hit its high speed, I didn’t have to slow down. .
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It made me think of how the effort we make toward achieving a goal makes a difference, even if we don’t see it immediately. How slow and steady is better than not at all. How small victories are still victories. And should be celebrated. What small victories are you celebrating these days?
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#findinginspiration #fitness #wellness #encouragement #livinginspired #runningshoes #treadmillruns #goalgetter #smallvictories
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  • Foggy morning and gloomy day, but I’m telling myself that doesn’t mean I have to feel that way. So, I’ve been taking in this view from the inside and making it a day of cleaning up, catching up, and getting back to routines. What have you been doing so this Monday doesn’t get you down? .
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#gloomyday #makingthemostofit #findinginspiration
    23 2
Claresa | Finding Inspiration | A Faith-Based Lifestyle & Culture Blog by writer, Claresa Smith
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