The Living by Design Blog
The Bible is packed with the spiritual nourishment your soul craves. Our aim is to provide resources to help you break it down into bite-sized pieces that are easy to digest. Articles on the Living by Design Blog are packed with heart-focused content, practical solutions for real life, and Bible-based training. Since launching this blog in 2014, we’ve featured more than 100 guest contributors. If you’d like to submit an article for consideration, please review our submission guidelines.
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries Recently my young family enjoyed 300 glorious hours of togetherness on a cross-country road trip “experience.” As we neared the end of the trip, my oldest daughter started rolling her eyes and sighing every time she heard the word “experience”
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries My husband and I are celebrating our 12th anniversary this week, which means I am finally qualified to teach a beginner course on marriage. Maybe ?!? As I look back over this past twelve years, I am overwhelmed with gratitude
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries Recently, I made a commitment to be more diligent about slowing down and listening to my children throughout the day. I was surprised by all that I heard… When my kids were playing make believe “mommy and daughter” in the
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries When I was 19 years old, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I have a type A+ personality and “driven” is a mild term to describe my way of attacking life. Because of my limited energy, and the fact that my
Article by: Sarah Koontz,Founder of Living by Design Ministries I just love family game night. The laughter, conversation and distraction-free time spent together leave me feeling full and satisfied. Our favorite game right now is Clue. We picked up the game at a garage sale last month and my girls can’t
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries When I was 14 years old, I decided I wanted to become a professional golfer. I dedicated the next 7 years of my life to accomplishing that goal. I was focused, hard-working and diligent. I have always believed God created
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries As a writer, I diligently search for just the right words to encourage and uplift my readers. I can work and re-work my writing to make certain it communicates a positive message and edit out any parts that don’t fit
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries Words are one of the most powerful gifts we can give to someone we love. Words fill in the space that exists between two souls, like a magnet pulling two separate beings into one shared space. Words reveal what is
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries Have you ever found yourself in a place where you struggle to enter into authentic worship? I know that I have. Over the past few years, I’ve been wondering what is missing from my worship experience. I still love the
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries “Oh, no! Mommy, we were supposed to get a package of 12 hot dog buns, not 8,” my youngest exclaimed when we got home from Target last night. I was already feeling guilty for stepping foot in a Target store
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries On February 11, I wrote a blog post entitled “To the Grown Daughter who has Failed to Love Her Mother Well…” In this post, I shared openly and honestly about the many ways I had failed to love my mother
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries I will never forget that day. I was surrounded by brightly painted walls and the cluttered remains of my sweet children’s playtime, but all I could see was darkness. The toys that were strewn about the room reminded me of
My heart beats a bit faster. Just breathe, Sarah. Doubts clutter my thoughts. Have faith, Sarah. I feel tension in my shoulders. Relax, Sarah. My head begins to ache. Take a moment to pray, Sarah. I feel unprepared, under-equipped and unworthy of the task that lies before me. But I
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries I’m not quite sure when I fell in love with my husband. I can assure you that it wasn’t love at first sight. We had been good friends for about a year before I allowed myself to even consider the
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries This week’s #livefreeThursday prompt from Suzie Eller is “breaking out of my bubble.” I recently broke out of my own bubble by agreeing to do my very first podcast interview with the beautiful Lauren Gaskill from Making Life Sweet. It’s
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries When my husband and I got engaged in 2004, we immediately started looking for a house to purchase. It didn’t take us long to decide on this little gem located on the south side of my hometown. It had a
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries I see you. Across the room, sitting quietly in your chair fidgeting with your pen. I see you. Off in the corner, flipping through the pages of your Bible. I see you. Sitting beside me, quietly observing the conversation but
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries Chocolate. Coffee. Spaghetti. French Fries. Pizza. Asking me to define my signature sin is like asking me to pick a favorite food. Impossible. I adore the many tantalizing flavors this life has to offer as deeply as I detest the sinfulness
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries “I want to be in relationship with people who love me unconditionally,” my mom quietly admitted, tears streaming down her face. Like a dagger to my heart, the truth seeped into my soul and revealed something ugly I had never
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries I don’t know about you, but all of these holidays tend to run together in my mind….Columbus Day, Labor Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I find that I enjoy the idea of a break from the hustle and bustle
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries A new year is upon us, and it is time to re-focus our energy on the things that truly matter! I have been looking around and I believe I have finally discovered the key habits of amazing moms. Although I am
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries I will never forget the hopefulness I felt when I cradled my first child in my arms, I couldn’t help but think that this tiny babe might nurse all that selfishness right out of my body. I have always been
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries Are you weary and worn? Tired of rushing through life and desperately in need of rest? There is a secret art of restful living hidden in the midst of the hustle and bustle of this life, but it comes at
Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries When I was seventeen, I went from straight-a student to dropout all for the sake of a dream; and it was the best decision I ever made! I attended a small high school and had the opportunity to compete in
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