This morning the temperatures finally dropped into the sixties, a sign that fall may eventually come to Texas. It is mid-October, and my heart has been longing for all things fall. You know boots, jeans, sweaters, pumpkins, my fall decor, and pumpkin spice everything! One the reasons I love fall so much because with the changing of the season my heart is turned more toward my home, and my people. Gone are the lazy days of summer, our school routine is well underway, and I began to prepare my home for guests. It is the beginning of the entertaining season since we host both Thanksgiving and Christmas and all of our birthdays are in the fall.

Today I am going to give you a sneak peek behind the curtain and see what I have been up to the last few weeks, and tell you about some things I have planned for the near future. Secretly I have had my house decorated for fall since the end of August.

 

 

At home: My baby turned 17 at the end of September. Wow! Now that makes me feel old. Lol. I wanted his birthday to be special because I know my time with him at home is fleeting, and I am trying to savor each moment. All he wanted for his birthday was to play basketball with his closest friends and eat chicken and waffles. So this mama got busy making a mess of homemade fried chicken and waffles for some hungry growing boys.

 

 

Next, we have three milestones birthdays in the family this fall. Beginning with my husband who turned 50! We celebrated him at home with some close friends several courses of food and some amazing charcuterie!

 

 

 

 

At work: I’ve had the honor to be on some incredible book launch teams this month. All of the books have been very different in content, and genre, but all equally as good.

It’s Okay not to be Okay: Moving Forward One Day at a Time by Sheila Walsh

I loved this book so much I ordered a copy for my friend who is going through a difficult time! This book is thought-provoking, beautifully written and full of wisdom, truly life-giving nourishment for the soul. Sheila Walsh shares openly that life may not turn out the way we plan. But we have an amazing God to see us through! We don’t have to be afraid or have it all together. Her is not just self-help for someone going through a difficult time, it is God Help!

7 Deadly Friendships: How to Heal When Painful Relationships Eat Away at Your Joy by Mary Demuth

Mary DeMuth does a great job examining the toxic relationships we have all experienced. She skillfully identifies the various characteristics of these friendly foes. Then shares biblical wisdom and powerful insight to help heal from the pain and devastation caused by these deadly friends! I learned so much about relationships in this insightful book,

Burden Of Proof by DiAnn Mills

It has been way too long since I’ve read a good fiction book because I typically read and write non-fiction. DiAnn is in my Life Group at church, and I recently joined her writer’s critique group. When she brought some advanced reader copies compliments of Tyndale House to the last meeting, I jumped at the chance to read Burden of Proof. I was immediately sucked into the story and couldn’t put it down. if you are looking for an adventure I highly recommend Burden of Proof!

And last, but certainly not least is My Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith, Aka “The Nester”

If you want a cozy home and are tired of dealing with all the stuff, Myquillyn shows you how you can have the cozy look and feel you want in your home, without all of the unnecessary junk! This is the perfect read to help prepare your home for the holiday season. The Cozy Home Minimalist launches on October 23rd, and you are going to want to grab a copy! I am doing my best to keep up with the #MyCozyFallHome challenge on Instagram, and would love to have you follow along! instagram.com/mistyphillip/

For fun: I did a 5K to raise money for the Houston Coalition for Life, and went to the annual fundraiser dinner for Texas Right to Life where I met the keynote speakers the Benham brothers. Both events helped to raise money to help save the lives of unborn children.

Upcoming Events:

October 25, 2018 – Join me for an evening to celebrate life! I will one of the guest speakers at the upcoming Montgomery County Right to Life monthly meeting.

Conroe House of Prayer

7-8:30 PM at 115 W Davis St. Conroe, TX 77301

October 27, 2018 – Excited to share my testimony at the Reflection Women’s Event at Champion Forest Baptist Church

Champion Forest Baptist Church Champions Campus

9:00 AM-Noon at  15555 Stubener Airline Drive Houston, TX 77069

For ticket information: www.Championforest.org/reflection