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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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February 10, 2017

A Sound Bite Faith

I have a dirty little secret…literally. And I’m going to tell you about it. Don’t judge.

Our staircase curves as you walk up it and on the left you pass by a ledge (or a niche if you want to get all fancy). I tried for years to find just the right piece to put there. It had a large basket for a little while, then an old window and some other vintage doo-dads. It had an urn with a plant that I couldn’t keep alive and then just the urn by itself. Nothing ever seemed to be right.

And then, one day, I was at a local indoor market that is housed in the most adorable red barn. It’s filled with all kinds of goodness…fresh produce, baked goods, homemade doughnuts and fun decorative items. As I was wandering through the teeny-tiny aisles I spotted it. A big bucket. A REALLY big bucket. And I’m pretty sure I heard the hallelujah chorus over the speakers and a bright light shined down on it because in that moment I knew that I had finally found the perfect thing to put on our ledge/niche.

I couldn’t wait to get it home and see if my suspicions were correct. And, sure enough, I loved it. I think the ledge/niche actually let out a sigh of relief because it knew I was finally done messing with it.

A few days later I was going upstairs for what felt like the millionth time that day and was chagrined to see that there were some little chunks of dirt on the carpet I had just recently vacuumed. I picked them up and kept walking up the stairs and for some reason…call it laziness, call it an act of rebellion…as I passed the giant bucket I reached over and dropped the dirt right into it.

Now, I could have walked back downstairs and thrown the dirt in the trash.  Or I could have kept it in my hand as I continued up the stairs and thrown it in the trash in the bathroom. I could have even gotten the dust buster and sucked it right up.

But I didn’t.

I took the shortcut. And I didn’t just do it once. I’ve gotten into the habit of doing this every time I find a rogue piece of bark or dirt or lint or whatever else I find stuck in the carpet. Especially if it’s only recently after I’ve vacuumed the stairs and I’m super annoyed that someone tracked in MORE stuff.

For whatever reason, it just seems easier to drop them into the big bucket.

The truth is that I don’t really want to be bothered with the added step of properly disposing of the dirt. Now, let’s face it, it would take a REALLY long time to fill up that bucket with all of my carpet pickings. But the other day as I walked past and dropped something inside, I wondered what it would be like if it was filled to overflowing and suddenly every piece of dirt and lint and string and piece of bark was visible to everyone. My dirty little secret would be a secret no more and I would be forced to finally throw it all away in an actual trash can.

I think that in many ways my sin is like those pieces of dirt I find in my carpet. Upon discovering it I’m given two options. Dispose of it correctly by confessing it to my Heavenly Father and receiving the cleansing of forgiveness or ignore it…hide it…let it pile up in the corners of my soul and pretend it’s not there until it begins to overflow and can no longer remain hidden.

Sin isn’t a popular word these days even sometimes among the Christian community. Conferences and books and (ahem) blog posts are filled with comfortable platitudes that feel much nicer, much gentler than a conversation about sin.

Be you!

Be brave!

Don’t change!

Dream big! 

#blessed

Lately it seems like we’ve reduced faith to sound bites.

(sound bite: a brief recorded statement; a brief catchy comment or saying)

And if those sound bites can be tweeted? Bonus points! But, here’s the thing..

I don’t want a sound bite faith. 

I don't want a sound bite faith atthepicketfence.com

And for the sake of full disclosure, let me just say that I know I’ve fallen into this trap at times with my own writing. As an author in today’s climate, the pressure is always there to come up with just the right catch-phrase or the most quotable quote. Lately this has been weighing heavily on me. Because I too have begun to rely on those quick little nuggets that come across my social media feed to give me a spiritual boost only to wonder later why my soul is restless, why it longs for more. I’m drawn to the words that make me feel good. The ones that tell me that God sees me as beautiful and wonderful and special. And I’m not saying that these words aren’t true. But they are only part of the truth. Because the full truth is more complex, it’s more layered and before I can get to the place where I embrace how beautiful and wonderful and special I am in God’s eyes, I have to recognize my need for Jesus. And after I recognize my need for Him, I have to acknowledge that my sinful nature creates a chasm that only He is able to bridge. Then, and only then, can I fully understand the depths of His love for me. Then, and only then, can I see myself as HE sees me.

Because then those words aren’t just pat-on-the-head platitudes.

You see friends, a sound bite faith is a shortcut.

And just like my attempts to take the shortcut with the dirt on my stairs, this type of faith can prevent me from properly dealing with my heart issues…with my sin.

When we rely only on the sound bites we are like the church at Corinth Paul was addressing in 1 Corinthians 3. “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly – mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”

Milk faith is gentle and non-threatening (unless you are lactose intolerant…but I digress). Trying to sustain our faith on just milk alone won’t work. Because once we recognize our need for Christ our appetite for deeper relationship with Him should increase. And milk will never be satisfying enough. We need meat. We need something we can actually sink our teeth into.

So I’m choosing to put the sound bites in their proper place. To remember that they only really scratch the surface of what it means to experience deep, meaningful faith. I’m choosing to not let them be enough.

And I’m doing something dangerous. I’m asking God to continue to reveal to me the sin in my life and to give me the courage to properly deal with it, not to simply brush it aside and hope that once out of sight it will also be out of mind. Because once I’ve addressed the sin, there is room made for my faith to go even deeper, even more meaty.

I don’t want a sound bite faith. I want the whole story.

Now, if you’ll excuse me…I have a bucket to go clean out.

 Vanessa signature

21 Comments Filed Under: Devotionals, Faith Tagged With: devotional, devotions, Faith, God

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Comments

  1. Melanie says

    February 10, 2017 at 3:45 AM

    Great post! Thank you.

    Reply
  2. Betty Goff says

    February 10, 2017 at 3:49 AM

    I pray every day. I never want a sound bite life! God has to forgive me everyday.

    Reply
  3. Mimi Matthews says

    February 10, 2017 at 4:16 AM

    Great post! I totally agree with you, and the struggle is real. To have that catchy phrase or quote or post. But yes, we must go deep with God.

    Reply
  4. Rhonda says

    February 10, 2017 at 4:19 AM

    You did a wonderful job with this, it is so true we fall into the habit of just coasting along. We pray, go to Church on Sunday but most of us don’t dig down deep inside our selfs to really practice strong faith on a daily routine. Thanks for your inspiration.

    Reply
  5. Heide V says

    February 10, 2017 at 5:26 AM

    This refreshed me right to the very core….thank you for sharing!!

    Reply
  6. maureen mawby says

    February 10, 2017 at 5:36 AM

    Thank you for taking the risk to share your faith! In this day and age, that isn’t very popular! You are here for a purpose, thanks for sharing it!

    Reply
  7. Pam says

    February 10, 2017 at 6:11 AM

    Wonderful post! You nailed it!

    Reply
  8. Catherine says

    February 10, 2017 at 7:55 AM

    I needed to hear this today! Thanks!

    Reply
  9. Sheila says

    February 10, 2017 at 8:22 AM

    Vanessa, in this day of extolling the importance of having & fulfiling a so-called “bucket list”, you put into perspective an actual need in our lives. Thanks!

    Reply
  10. Bonnie says

    February 10, 2017 at 11:16 AM

    Thanks Vanessa for sharing this story. I can really related to it. I work up early and was talking to the Lord this morning and I laid in bed. I realized that I get so busy that I don’t take as much time as I need with the Lord nearly as often as I should just to be still in His presence and praise Him for who He is. I talk to Him throughout the day but so often I feel rushed in spending time with Him due to obligations.

    Reply
  11. MARY-ANN (FROM CANADA!) says

    February 10, 2017 at 11:59 AM

    Vanessa, I love how you share your faith. I admire you for doing this because so many people are looking for peace in this world of turmoil — peace that knowing only God can give. You are such a blessing! I always look forward to your posts.

    Have a blessed day!

    Reply
  12. Michele says

    February 10, 2017 at 12:00 PM

    You sure have a way of capturing our imaginations and luring us in – well done. This is fabulous writing! HUGS!

    Reply
  13. Leslie says

    February 10, 2017 at 3:22 PM

    Yes. I’m with you. Thanks for sharing. Sometimes those buckets get larger, too, and I’m with you on emptying it and refilling with things that bring joy to not just me, but Him.

    Reply
  14. Joanna says

    February 10, 2017 at 5:46 PM

    Ouch, but I’m with you. I want a deeper faith as well. This was good-thank you.
    p.s. Can we see a picture of that large bucket? 🙂

    Reply
  15. Georgia says

    February 11, 2017 at 3:33 AM

    Thank you Vanessa. I needed to hear this today.

    Reply
  16. Bethany - Our 4 Sons Plus 1...Super Cute Girly Girl says

    February 12, 2017 at 7:39 AM

    This is so good. I agree completely! Thanks for sharing your heart here.

    Reply
  17. Lori says

    February 13, 2017 at 5:21 PM

    Dangerous prayer, indeed. But necessary. We have to ask God to reveal our sin, because our hearts deceive us and we cannot understand on our own (Jeremiah 17:9).
    Thank you for being an instrument to convict my heart. I’m new to your blog and didn’t realize I’d get great theology as well as decorating advice here! I’ve added you to my Feedly list to read every day. Looking forward to more spiritual encouragement!

    Reply
  18. Elizabeth says

    February 13, 2017 at 9:53 PM

    Such a great post! I appreciate your hunger for a deeply rooted faith and your faithfulness to truth.

    Reply
  19. Peggy Renie says

    February 21, 2017 at 6:14 PM

    This is just what I needed to hear today. Thank you Vanessa.

    Reply
  20. Dorothy says

    February 26, 2017 at 10:13 PM

    Thank you. This is so insightful.

    Reply
  21. Fritz says

    April 10, 2017 at 9:19 AM

    Thank you for being so transparent. It’s amazing to see what God allows us to see in our everyday lives. I must confess daily so I don’t grow weary and so my bucket doesn’t overflow. Beautiful article Vanessa.

    Reply

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I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consumin I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consuming seasonal decorating. When I think back on the years where I would feel all of the pressure to come up with something fresh and creative I’m seriously embarrassed. Truly. Because it was such a waste. A waste of my time, my energy, my resources. Something clicked with me a few years ago. I was just done. I needed to simplify. I needed to not spend an obscene amount of time looking at fireplace mantels on Pinterest and trying to figure out how to make mine look amazing. I needed to put it all in the proper place in my heart and my mind. Which meant, it had to go waaaaayyyy down on the priority list. So far down it almost wasn’t on it. And I needed to confess to the Lord that I had allowed it to become an idol. 

Yes, I want to have a home that I enjoy. Yes, I love pretty things. But something really amazing happened when I finally released it all. When I decided to not give into the pressure and panic I would feel when I would scroll through my Instagram feed. When I just laid it all down and said…enough. There was this incredible irony in it. Because, the less time I took to decorate my home for each season, the more I found myself loving the results. I think that all along I had just been getting in my own way. It’s really taken a lot of time and prayer for me to finally be at a place where even though I still struggle with insecurities and I still have doubts from time to time, I’m becoming increasingly more confident in who God created me to be. And, just like my home, I’m finding that as I relax into myself, letting go of the comparisons and the pressure, the more I can actually lean into the calling He has placed on my life. 🍂

Leave a comment if you can relate! 

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking
“As the alluring song of September begins to whi “As the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.” (Peggy Toney Horton)

Happy September dear friends! While I’m not quite ready to let go of summer and I plan to make the most out of the lingering, warm days, I’ll admit to starting to think about my fall decor this year. And one way to get inspired is to take a look back at previous years. Here’s just a glimpse at some of the ways I’ve welcomed Autumn to my home! 🍂

#september #falldecorating #falldecor #falldecoratingideas #wearethehomemakers
Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning the corner and getting closer to fall but I’m not quite ready to let summer go. So I’ll just be over here continuing to whip up some super simple summer meals for my family that frankly can be enjoyed in any season. These shrimp rolls I made the other night were definitely a hit and would be great for any of your upcoming holiday weekend gatherings!

Shrimp Rolls 🍤

Ingredients
1-2 lbs of shrimp that is peeled, deveined and tail off (If using frozen make sure it’s thawed completely)
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 of a lemon
2 Tbsps chopped scallions
1 Tbsp chopped dill
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 Tsp of Old Bay seasoning (more if you like!)
pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper
Hoagie Rolls
Softened butter

Directions: Gently pat the shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, squeeze half of lemon and stir to combine before adding in the scallions, dill and parsley. Stir to combine and then add the additional seasonings. Spread butter on hoagie rolls and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Pile on the shrimp mixture and enjoy! 

#shrimproll #foodie #weeknightdinner #easydinner #seafoodlover
Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. W Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. We woke up to the sound of chainsaws and rushed downstairs to find that our backyard neighbors were having two of the huge trees that line our shared fence removed. These trees have been here longer than the neighborhood and no, they weren't dead or causing damage to roofs, foundations, etc. They were beautiful and gave us wonderful privacy. We had no notice of this happening so this came as quite a shock. Because we were given no notice, we didn't have the chance to cover our outdoor furniture or plants and everything is now coated in a thick layer of sawdust including the fresh bark we recently put in the garden beds. And now our lovely privacy is gone, replaced by a direct view of an above ground pool and RV. I know, I know, it's totally a first world, privileged kind of problem to have. But, now we have to spend thousands of dollars on plants to try and recapture some semblance of privacy. Now we have days worth of clean up to do after we had JUST done a massive freshening up of our backyard. My overarching feeling has just been weariness at the way our world is today.

I think about how often we try to do right by people, to be respectful and courteous. To be thoughtful and considerate. And it’s not reciprocated. How its starting to seem more and more like people have just given up on those seemingly small niceties. And my soul just feels heavy. Because I feel like so much of what used to be common courtesy is not so common anymore. Drivers on the roads are angrier and more reckless than ever before. Red lights being run are an everyday occurrence around town. On our recent family vacation, I heard more people using the F word out in public than ever before even while around children. Where are manners? Where is kindness? I'm finding myself being surprised when someone is thoughtful because it seems like a rarity. And that's just all on a micro, local level. Don't even get me started on the insanity in our world/culture. After I returned from grocery shopping (which can also be soul crushing), I found myself desperate for a reminder of the truth. 

*Part 2 continued in the comments.*
How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully grasp our strengths or our weaknesses until we are put to the test? Little did I know how much I would love my role as a wife, mother and homemaker until I became one. And that in my endeavor to do those roles to the best of my ability, it would bring to the forefront gifts and talents and blessings that I use outside of these walls.

As I water others, I’m watered too because it brings such joy to care for those around me. But it can also make me see more clearly the areas in which I’m lacking and be a very humbling reminder of how much I still need to grow and learn.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Have you done any ‘watering’ of others this week? How has it blessed and ‘watered’ you in return?
“Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you “Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you make.” Statements like this from my kids fill me with so much joy and such a sense of assurance that my role as the maker of this home is one that makes an impact on them in both big and small ways. It’s not just sheet pan shrimp boil. 

It’s nourishment
It’s time together around the table
It’s laughing as we try to get the butter sauce out of the pan
It’s a memory
It’s an imprint on their lives 

The ordinary act of making a meal becomes EXTRAordinary. And I try to keep that in mind as I do this task day in and day out, year after year. 

***

Ingredients: 
1 pound baby red or yellow potatoes
Green beans or corn (4 ears cut in half) whichever you prefer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt and pinch of black pepper 
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
Crusty bread for dipping 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Put potatoes, shrimp, sausage and green beans or corn on baking sheet. Pour butter over top. Sprinkle with old bay seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Bake for about 12 minutes or until shrimp is pink. 

#shrimpboil #sheetpandinner #sheetpanmeals #homemaking
Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and lig Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and light cocktails! My husband is my own built in bartender and he put this together the other night. 

2 jiggers of gin (you could also use vodka) 
*you should do a jig when using a jigger 😉*
Crushed ice 
Grapefruit tonic 
Squirt of lime 
Sprig of mint 

Easy and so refreshing!! ☀️

#cocktails #summercocktails
There is something magical about the late summer e There is something magical about the late summer evenings. Maybe it’s because we have a greater sense of the fact that these long days are slowly shortening and we want to savor them as much as we can. I know I intend to do just that. 

I hope you’re having a wonderful August so far dear friends!
Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our hou Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our house all summer long. We’re big on the ‘build your own’ method of making dinner especially on very hot days. Simplicity for the win! 
#recipes #easydinner #easydinnerideas #homemaking
In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grou In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grouping of beats. No matter what else a piece of music has in terms of its pitch or tone, the rhythm never changes. Its the stabilizing force and brings order to a composition that would be completely chaotic without it.

The same can be said of rhythms in our lives and in our homes. When everything else feels out of control, rhythms and patterns provide us with stability and something that we can rely upon to give us a sense of security in a very insecure world. But, too often, we associate the rhythmic things we do in our lives as merely tasks to be gotten through rather than gifts which provide much-needed balance.

Whether it’s making the coffee every night before we go to bed or doing my devotional in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up or watering my garden, these simple tasks provide a rhythm to my day that is truly grounding. 

What’s something that you do that you would classify as a rhythm or pattern in your week?
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