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Hello, Reader.

Did you know MLK Day and the presidential inauguration are both less than a week away? And, furthermore, that both federal holidays fall on the same date this year? They do! And this week's link list is designed to help you get ready to celebrate both occasions to their fullest!

Free resources for you this week:

• ​Celebrate MLK - coloring pages, quizzes, other printables honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.
• ​Pray for our President - the Bible tells us to pray for our leaders, and this guide can help
• ​US Presidents Printable - a handy guide to all US presidents, newly updated & ready to go
• ​Appointed by God Coloring Page - a reminder from Romans 13:1 on governmental authority
• ​President Trump Coloring Page - features his quote about “losing a battle, winning the war”
• ​Pray for our Country - here's a handy guide to help you intercede for the USA
• ​Presidential Word Scramble - a fun & fitting game to play on Inauguration Day

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What I'm reading this week:

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A friend recommended the book Chris Beat Cancer after learning about my recent breast cancer diagnosis. I started reading immediately and finished last night. After being diagnosed with colorectal cancer at age 26, the author, Chris Wark, had surgery to remove the tumor and 49 lymph nodes, but decided to forgo chemo in favor of making radical changes to his diet, which he details in this inspiring account. I've also been reading Wark's Beat Cancer Kitchen trying out the recipes, which are very tasty. The best time to read either or both of these books? Before you ever get a cancer diagnosis, since many of the author's recommendations are as good or better at preventing cancer as they are at healing it. ​

This week's reader request:

I'm slowly making my way through a bunch of requests for new free printable prayer guides. My newest is A Prayer of Faith, which I posted last week. It's appropriate whether a person is first coming to faith or looking to increase a faith that has already taken root in his/her heart.

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The Loving Life at Home Podcast I didn't drop a new episode this week, but here are few of my most popular past episodes, in case you missed them the first time around: ​ ​Episode 19: Recounting Stories of God's Provision ​Episode 2: 7 Secrets to Dealing with Difficult In-laws ​Episode 53: Microsystems for Managing Your Home ​

Progress on last week's goals:

By God's grace, I marked everything off last week's list: I ✅ finished writing thank you notes for Christmas gifts, ✅ sent a new January memory challenge to my kids and grandkids, ✅ mapped out homeschool lesson plans for next 6 weeks, ✅ made a sample project for my leather-working class at co-op, ✅ met & discussed questions with my oncologist, ✅ wrote 2 more days for new prayer challenge (and ✅ outlined 26 more), ✅ painted with my kids and grandkids, and ✅ reviewed new art kit for Timberdoodle.

Personal goals for this week:

• plan my talk for an upcoming mother-daughter retreat ("Stand in Truth")
• finish decorating the covers of 30+ journal for retreat gift bags
• put away last remnants of Christmas decor (mainly scattered nativity sets)
• record a new podcast for Monday (especially since I ❌ missed this week)
• record a few new a cappella hymns for prayer challenge (getting super excited about this!)
• get PET scan on Friday to check for distant mets (prayers appreciated 🙏)