5 Friday Favorites: September 4, 2026

It's time for my Friday link up with A Little Bit of Everything and Momfessionals. 

On Fridays I share things that made me happy from the week - a photo, a song, a quote, a beauty product, a recipe, a pair of cute shoes, etc. If it's a product, sometimes it's something I actually own and sometimes something I just saw online that gave me a smile. Sometimes it's serious and sometimes it's silly. I suppose I believe that God is in the simple details of life and yes, I can even find Him in a tube of lipstick.

Friends, there was big news in my new hometown this week.

I was not aware that on September 1st in the year of our Lord 2026, Louisa, Virginia was set to be blessed in a big way until the sweet gentleman who was helping me out at the Goodwill on Monday said to me, “Well! Tomorrow’s the big day!” I was little confused, but figured it out when he said, “The fries are supposed to be real good. I’m looking forward to that.”

Then, I remembered that I had passed the “Coming Soon” sign outside the brand spankin’ new Checker’s Burger joint just a few minutes before. Yesterday, I drove by again.

I don’t know what comes to mind for you, but I thought, Well, Behold! He is doing a new thing!

Here are some other favorite things from the week.

1. Over Yonder: A Southern Small Town Novel of Redemption, Family Secrets & Second Chances by Sean Dietrich

Oh my goodness, I LOVED this book. The subtitle tells you everything you need to know. If you like a southern story, this is for you. You will fall in love with the characters. It’s beautiful.

2. Bedsure Comforter Set

I’m in the process of replacing the bedding in many of the rooms at our lake house since they are a bit worn out after doing the Lord’s work over these past many years. There is a lot of replacing to do and I didn’t want to break the bank on the guest rooms that aren’t often used, so I decided to give this Bedsure brand from Amazon a shot. I am delightfully surprised by the quality. The set includes two shams, a comforter and a sheet set for less than $50 and they are very soft. I have one room with a queen and a twin bed in it so I needed matching sets and this brand has all the sizes a gal might need. They come in stripes or solids. And if you don’t believe me about the comfort, please check out this gal. I mean, I don’t know the specific challenges she is walking through, but it seems like her Bedsure set is a refuge of solace and peace.

3. Leanne - Season 2

Here’s the truth: I would follow Leanne Morgan to the ends of the earth. Which is to say, I’ll watch any live show, tv show, comedy special, podcast or Instagram clip in which she and her delightful voice appear. Hopefully, that doesn’t sound stalker-esque. Her humor and her commentary on the season life in which she, my friends and I find ourselves is spot on. She is also an incredible inspiration to women who are trying to follow a dream they’ve held for a long time, hoping and praying that it’s never to late. Season 2 of her show came out last week and it is hilarious and sweet and so very relatable.

PS Please enjoy this photo of my friend Jen and me when we went to see her show in Richmond last month. The show was great and we had a blast. Also, yes, we did think we were as cute as you imagine we did because we were wearing dresses and the great majority of our lives together have involved sweating our tails off in shorts and tshirts in the bleachers. Go see Leanne live if you can.

4.WE HAVE A COVER!!

Thank you so very much to all of you who gave me your opinions on my book’s cover art. We mashed parts from all three options together. I’m thrilled with the final. So, pretty please, if you don’t like it, I don’t need to know. ;-)

5.That Time the Holy Spirit Came at Me like Lee Corso

For my last favorite today, I will concede that calling this one of my favorite moments of the week is a stretch. The proper, Christian way to say it is that I was convicted by the Holy Spirit. And another way to say it is that while I was sitting with my coffee and my Bible meditating on the Word earlier this week, the Holy Spirit hauled off and gave me a swift kick in the pants.

All week I was studying a devotional focusing on understanding where my identity comes from and why my life has value. As part of this study, I’ve been in Ephesians, Genesis, Psalms and 2 Corinthians which is to say ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Ephesians tells me that I am chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven and marked with a seal by the Holy Spirit - a deposit which guarantees my inheritance. (1:4-7)

Me?! All those things? Right on, God. Today I’ll believe that is true, I thought.

Genesis says that I, Jennifer Lynne Pratt Skinner, am created in His own image. (1:27)

Me?! An image bearer of the Lord of the Universe? Cool, God. Today I’ll believe that is true, I thought.

Psalms tells me that I, Jennifer Lynne Pratt Skinner, am fearfully and wonderfully made. A wonderful work of the Lord.

Me?! Described as wonderful? TWICE? Wow, God. Today I’ll believe that is true, I thought.

2 Corinthians tells me that Christ has given me, Jennifer Lynne Pratt Skinner, a new life. That I am not defined by my past because He died for me so that I might be reconciled to God through Him.

Me?! You gave up your life for me? Thank you, Lord. Today I’ll believe that is true, I thought.

I sat with these verses feeling profoundly grateful. I also felt certain I had heard all the things that the Lord needed me to hear and was ready to go out, confident in my identity, my value and my purpose.

But as I was about to close my Bible and have myself a day - tra-la-la - the swift kick by the Holy Spirit came. And perhaps because it’s the first week of college football, the Holy Spirit followed with some words that sounded a whole lot like Lee Corso.

So I kept my butt in the chair and a quote I heard awhile ago came to me. “If the Gospel is true for you, it’s true for everyone.” And so . . . if all those verses are true for me, Jennifer Lynne Pratt Skinner, they are also true of everyone else.

“Even her. Even him. EV -ER-Y-ONE-ELSE. How ‘bout you work on believing that today, sister”, said Lee Corso . . .er . . .the Holy Spirit.

The foul-mouthed teenager who needs to wash his mouth out with soap? Chosen. Forgiven. Redeemed. Wonderfully made. Image Bearer.

That foul-mouthed teenager’s parents who you’ve decided have really dropped the parenting ball? Chosen. Forgiven. Redeemed. Wonderfully made. Image Bearers.

That annoying co-worker who loves to hear her own voice and drones on and on in the meeting while your eye twitches? Chosen. Forgiven. Redeemed. Wonderfully made. Image Bearer.

That person on social media who you’ve decided is so insufferable your eyes might roll out of you head? Chosen. Forgiven. Redeemed. Wonderfully made. Image Bearer.

The meth addict outside the convenience store. The pompous guy in the Porsche that cut you off. The crooked politician on your tv screen. The self-righteous, virtue-signaling neighbor. The noisy drunk at the bar. The know-it-all at the ball field.

You guessed it. Chosen, Forgiven, Redeemed. Wonderfully Made. Image Bearers. Every last one of them.

What the Holy Spirit told me this week is that He wants me to understand that my identity is in Christ because He chose, adopted, redeemed, forgave and marked me with a seal guaranteeing life eternal. But the lesson doesn’t end there. In this season of my life, it seems even more important to Him that I understand that the same is true of every single person I meet. It doesn’t matter to Him one whit what I think about those people. What matters to Him is that I look into each face and know that I am looking at a person created intentionally by the God I serve, in the image of the God I serve. And if I don’t believe that, I’m not serving Him at all.

If it’s true for me, then it’s true for them and if it’s not true for them, then it’s not true for me either.

OK, God. I hear you. Today I’ll believe that it’s true. For everyone.

Have a great weekend, Image Bearers! And Hook Em Horns.

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