great books Archives - Hargraves Home and Hearth

011: Don’t Waste Your Wait with Naomi Quick

July 12, 2025 by Rebekah Hargraves Leave a Comment

Naomi Quick is a wife, homeschooling mama to 6 kiddos 8 and under, two of which have been adopted through the foster care system, writer, and speaker dedicated to encouraging and advocating for orphans, adoptive parents, and those involved in the foster care system. She recently wrote a fantastic book entitled “Don’t Waste Your Wait: Embracing the Journey of Bringing Your Child Home”. Though it is largely a memoir which chronicles the Quick family’s journey of being in a waiting season and all that the Lord taught them through that time, I found the book to be helpful for folks regardless of whether or not they are adoptive parents themselves. After all, we are all waiting for something, and Naomi’s book encourages and equips us for making the most of those waiting seasons of life.

What we Chat about in this Episode

~Naomi’s new book

~The journey of Naomi and her husband choosing to add children to their family via adoption and her heart for children who need homes

~The Quick family’s story of starting the adoption process when they had 3 biological kiddos 3 and under and what that was like; answering the naysayers who thought their timing was crazy

~Specific ways we can make the most of any waiting season we find ourselves in

~Lessons the Lord taught Naomi through the difficult waiting period before her son came home

~How motherhood reveals in such a special way the depth of Christ’s love for His children

~Experiencing those times when we’re certain we understand what God’s call on our lives is, but then we hit a rough patch and begin to doubt

~What the Scripture says about God’s heart for the fatherless and the responsibility the people of God have to care for them

~The orphan crisis and what God’s people can do to help

~The difference between conviction and condemnation

~Various orphan care foundations folks can serve with

~How Naomi finds the time to balance all the many hats she wears; deducing what God actually has for us to do in this season

~And more!

Resources Mentioned

The Zoe Blanket Project / More Than a Bag Project

Naomi’s e-course, “Preparing Your Heart and Home for Adoption and Foster Care”

Naomi’s book, “Don’t Waste Your Wait: Embracing the Journey of Bringing Your Child Home”

“Anything: The Prayer that Unlocked My God and My Soul” by Jennie Allen

Inspiring Quotes from Naomi

“When it comes to the orphan crisis, no one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”

“Maybe the reason you can’t seem to do all the things God has asked you to do, is because you are also trying to do things He never asked you to do. We have to find that balance of asking, “God, what do you want me to do right here, right now? How do you want me to invest my gifts in this season?”

Where You Can Find Naomi Online

Website – www.127living.com

Facebook – Naomi Quick - Living Out 127

Instagram - @LivingOut127

Twitter – @LivingOut127

The Quick’s Non- Profit - The Zoe Blanket Project

To Leave a Rating and Review on iTunes

Have you been encouraged or inspired by today’s episode? If so, could I ask a little favor? If you could leave the podcast a rating and review in iTunes, that would be amazing! The more ratings and reviews a podcast receives, the more iTunes shows that podcast to other folks searching for shows to listen to, so by leaving me a rating and review, you truly are partnering with me in this podcast ministry to encourage and help as many women as we possibly can. Thank you so much for taking the time to do that! Here’s how:

If you’re on your computer:

Access iTunes on your desktop and type Home and Hearth in the search box on the upper right hand corner.
Click on the podcast photo when it comes up
Click on “Ratings and Reviews” beneath the podcast title
Under “Customer Reviews”, click on “Write a Review”
Click on how many stars you want to rate the podcast and then write out your review and click submit
You’re done! Thank you so much!!

If you’re on your phone:

Open the podcasts app
Click the search button on the bottom righthand corner (the magnifying glass) and type in Home and Hearth in the search box that will appear at the top of your screen
Click on the podcast photo when it pops up
Click on the reviews button near the top middle of the screen
Scroll down a bit, if needed, until you see “Write a Review” and click on that
Click on how many starts your want to rate the podcast, write out your review, and click “send” when finished
You’re done! Thank you so much!!

How You Can Listen to the Podcast

~Here on the blog

~on iTunes

~on Stitcher

~on TuneIn

~on the Podcast Addict App

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11:10 — 65.3MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | RSS

HandH 004: Bible Study for Busy Women with Katie Orr

May 3, 2025 by Rebekah Hargraves 2 Comments

Katie Orr is my guest for the 4th episode of the Home and Hearth podcast! It was such an honor to get to chat with her and to pick her brain on all things Bible study and quiet time. Katie’s passion and mission is “equipping busy women to experience God” and to really provide the tools women need in order to learn to do in-depth Bible study right where they are, even in this busy season of life.

To that end, she has written a series of Bible studies on various topics where she takes you through her FOCUSed 15 method, enabling you to really dig down deep into the Scriptures in just 15 minutes a day. We all, even the busiest of moms, have 15 minutes a day, right? After all, we’re probably all on social media longer than that each day, so we can totally do this! We can be faithful to redeem the time, especially with Katie’s help and direction, showing us how easy it can truly be.

I was so honored to be able to be a part of the launch team for Katie’s 5th and newest study, Everyday Obedience, which just released May 1st! It is absolutely incredible and is opening my eyes to the truth of what obedience is and is not in such powerful ways. From the day I started the study, I knew I had to have Katie on the podcast. She is going to bless your socks off!

And, be sure to listen to the very end of the episode for a super exciting giveaway! 😀 For more info on that, head to Instagram!

What We Chat About in This Episode:

~Katie’s own journey with the Lord, coming to Christ, learning how to study the Bible, and how she came to be a Bible study author

~Her advice and encouragement for women who say they are “too busy to study the Bible”

~What her FOCUSed 15 method is, how she came up with it, and how it works

~Each of her 5 studies (Everyday Hope, Everyday Love, Everyday Faith, Everyday Peace, and Everyday Obedience) and what they are about

~Recommendations for “quiet times”

~What Katie’s typical “quiet time” looks like as a busy pastor’s wife, homeschooling mom of 3, author, and podcaster

~Big Bible study mistakes we make and what to do instead; tips for HOW to actually study the Bible

~Ideas for moms who want to encourage and equip their children to love and do Bible study on a regular basis themselves

~Encouragement and advice for women who already love and do regular Bible study but who have husbands who do not

~And much more!

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Teach Me Your Ways: The Pentateuch Study by Kay Arthur

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

Inspiring Quotes from Katie:

When it comes to the excuse of being to busy to study the Word:

“We always think, ‘Oh, when my kids just get this old or this happens or that happens, I’ll study the Word, but truth is we’re ALWAYS going to be busy. I believe that busyness actually isn’t the issue. We all have the same 24 hours. We all find time to be on Instagram or watch Netflix. We have time to study the Bible. I believe our biggest issue, rather, is our expectations of what that time should look like. We have to let go of this “all or nothing” idea when it comes to the Bible.”

“I had been so dependent on that neat and tidy time of a quiet time, at this certain time everyday, and looking like this, that when those things got stripped away, I realized that I was doing all my Bible reading and prayer at this specific time each day, so that then when I would put the Bible away, it was almost like I viewed it as, “Ok, God, I’ll see you tomorrow.” It was as if it was a date with God and then it was done. I didn’t really bring Him with me throughout my day.”

On Spiritual Growth:

“The biggest measure of spiritual growth is not what we look like - what our marriages are like, what our kids look like, how long our hem line is, how we speak. The biggest measure of spiritual growth is not our actions, but our view of God and Who we think He is…. When we understand and know Who God is, then it makes us want to do those other things as we should.”

On legalism and man-made rules:

“Nowhere in the Bible do we read, ‘Thou Shalt have a daily quiet time for an hour long each day and it must look like this and you must do that.’ What the Word does say is that we must not allow the Word to depart from our lips, but that we should meditate on it day and night.”

Where you can find Katie online:

Website - KatieOrr.me

Podcast - FOCUSed 15 with Chris and Katie Orr: Bible Study Tools and Tips in 15 minutes

Instagram - @thekatieorr

Facebook - Katie Orr

Twitter - @TheKatieOrr

To Leave a Rating and Review on iTunes:

If you’re on your computer:

Access iTunes on your desktop and type Home and Hearth in the search box on the upper right hand corner.
Click on the podcast photo when it comes up
Click on “Ratings and Reviews” beneath the podcast title
Under “Customer Reviews”, click on “Write a Review”
Click on how many stars you want to rate the podcast and then write out your review and click submit
You’re done! Thank you so much!!

If you’re on your phone:

Open the podcasts app
Click the search button on the bottom righthand corner (the magnifying glass) and type in Home and Hearth in the search box that will appear at the top of your screen
Click on the podcast photo when it pops up
Click on the reviews button near the top middle of the screen
Scroll down a bit, if needed, until you see “Write a Review” and click on that
Click on how many starts your want to rate the podcast, write out your review, and click “send” when finished
You’re done! Thank you so much!!

How You Can Listen to the Podcast:

~Here on the blog

~on iTunes

~on Stitcher

~on TuneIn

~on the Podcast Addict App

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:29:55 — 82.4MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | RSS

Book Review - “Dating in Marriage” by Brittany Putman

April 13, 2025 by Rebekah Hargraves Leave a Comment

If you have been a reader of Hargraves Home and Hearth for any length of time, you likely know that I believe strongly in the importance of keeping your husband first on your priority list (second only to God, of course!), even in the midst of the busy days of motherhood. One of the ways of making that a reality that I’m most passionate about is the practice of dating in marriage.

For that reason, I could not be more excited about the new book I had the privilege of being on the launch team for, Dating in Marriage: 12 Months of Date Night Ideas, Discussion Starters, and Check-in Questions by Brittany Putman.

What You Can Expect:

In this great, really practical book, you will find a day night idea for each month of the year, some of which follow a certain theme pertaining to that month (i.e. winter fun in January). Each month covers an important topic pertaining to your marriage, such as intentionality, balance, respect, communication, change, and putting God first. These date ideas are all super fun, largely pre-planned, inexpensive, and easy to implement.

In addition to the monthly date ideas, the book goes on to provide discussion starters for you and your spouse to use, which pertain to what went on doing that month’s date. Each monthly chapter then ends with a list of check-in questions to further delve into the topic you covered that month with your spouse, what the Lord taught you about it, and more.

The book ends with awesome help, inspiration, and plans for a DIY two day marriage retreat for you and your spouse that will undoubtedly be the perfect end to a year-long journey of special shared moments, growth in your marriage, and downright fun.

Some Final Thoughts

As a big fan of date night, I highly, highly recommend this book (and can’t wait to go through each of the monthly date ideas with Owen)! It will prove to be a fantastic investment in the health and growth of your marriage. You can grab a copy for yourself by clicking here! Enjoy!

Book Review - “Don’t Waste Your Wait: Embracing the Journey of Bringing Your Child Home”

April 7, 2025 by Rebekah Hargraves Leave a Comment

I first met Naomi Quick about a month or two ago when she joined the Conservative Christian Momma Bloggers group I’m a part of on Facebook. I instantly felt a connection with her, because she has such a heart for children, is passionate about Psalm 127 and James 1:27, which speak to the fact that children are a blessing and that we are called on to care for the orphans, and because she knows what it’s like to have little ones close in age (she knows far more about it than I do right now - she has 6 precious children who are all 8 and under!). She’s also a fellow homeschool graduate, blogger, and a dear sister-in-Christ.

So, when she was looking for folks to review her new book, I jumped at the chance to do so! You know me - always on the lookout for great new books, always reading a ton of books at once, and always wanting to share about awesome new resources with others! 🙂 I knew her book would be good. After all, it’s about making the most of a time when you are in a season of waiting. But it’s primarily about embracing that season of waiting for your forever-child and, because I, personally, am not going through the long adoption process right now, I assumed that the book wouldn’t apply a ton to my life right here in this moment. But I was wrong!

In Don’t Waste Your Wait: Embracing the Journey of Bringing Your Child Home, Naomi chronicles the story of how, since she was 8 years old, she had dreamed of adopting children one day and though this had always been her plan, the process to bringing her children home was not at all an easy or quick one. It was hard, heart-wrenching, and tiresome at times. What’s so inspiring, however, is that she did not remain there in those dark places. She didn’t give up in despair. Yes, she struggled. Yes, she cried and grieved. But she relied on her Father to get her through and get her through He did! Naomi found the Lord to be so ever-present during that waiting process and she learned much about the faithfulness of God, the heart He has for His own children, and just how much better His plans are than ours. If you are embarking on the adoption process, you need this book!

Truly, though, Don’t Waste Your Wait is an invaluable resource for anyone who is in any season of waiting - whether you are a single gal waiting to get married or a newlywed waiting to have a baby or a pregnant mama waiting to give birth or a mama of one waiting to grow her family, or in an entirely different season of waiting altogether, we are all waiting for something and I still would highly recommend that you get a copy of this book! It will minister to your soul, deepen your walk with the Lord, grow your trust in Him, and help you to redeem this time the Lord has given you. Naomi breaks down the book into chapters covering the 8 things we can do while in this waiting period:

Pray
Grieve
Hope
Heal
Surrender
Communicate
Advocate
Write

I highly recommend this book! Waiting is hard. It isn’t fun. But if we are walking with the Lord, it can be one of the most valuable and transformational times of our lives. And, you know how I felt like I instantly clicked with Naomi? Well, I found that to be even more the case when I had the honor of interviewing her this week for the podcast! She is an absolute gem and was a joy to talk to. In our interview we chat about her book, more of the adoption stories her family has walked through, more of what the Lord has taught her through it all, as well as ways in which we, as the Body of Christ, can be diligent about obeying the command to care for the orphan. It was a great chat and I can’t wait to share it with y’all! In the meantime, go get yourself a copy of Don’t Waste Your Wait! 😉

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