-
When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong
“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). The morning after our first child was born I stared at the ticking clock on the white-washed hospital wall and counted the minutes I had slept the previous night. The total came to 55 minutes, which didn’t feel like enough. My abdomen ached from an emergency C-section, I could barely stand up, and little Bekah was less-than-patient with my lack of breastfeeding experience. It felt like a lot. You’ve probably endured a few seasons when life felt like a lot. …
-
10 Bible Verses About Overcoming Fear and Worry
Are you facing any fears? Today, we’ll dig into God’s Word and unpack 10 powerful Bible verses about overcoming fear and worry. First, let me share the story of a great fear that threatened to paralyze me. 10 Empowering Bible Verses About Overcoming Fear Our first child was born on a Tuesday. I could barely believe she was hidden within me for all those months. After the hyperemesis diagnosis and the months of lying on the bathroom floor in a cloud of nausea, I couldn’t comprehend the love I felt for her. I never knew love like that was possible. In the months following her birth, I spent hours marveling…
-
How to Communicate Better With Your Tween Daughter
I’m excited to share a guest post with you today! A few weeks ago, I shared a photo of Bekah holding our new mother-daughter shared journal. I invited Stacey and Lexi Shannon, the mother and daughter coauthors of the journal, to share a post with you today, and I love what they came up with! Enjoy! ~~~ How to Communicate Better With Your Tween Daughter Ideas to Grow Your Mother-Daughter Relationship The tween years can be tumultuous. As our daughters are growing into young women, they are also figuring out their place in the world. They’re changing in many ways, which means we have to change the way we connect…
-
A Devotional Book That Will Bless You: I Love You, Mom!
First light gives herself away without a hint of reservation, and I drink down the gift like I’m drinking from the fountain of life itself. We’re in the thick of what already feels like a never-ending winter, and I’m aiming to be intentional about tapping into life-giving resources. I’m slowing my rhythms to soak in golden beams of morning sunlight, splurging on flavored coffee, and digging into books that are nourishing my soul. I recently discovered a mother-daughter devotional book that’s touching my heart in surprising ways. I Love You, Mom: Cherished Word Gifts from My Heart to Yours by Blythe Daniel and her mom Helen McIntosh is filled with…
-
How to Love Like Jesus When You Feel Annoyed
My little boy comes to me with his shoelaces twisted in knots. I’m soaking in my morning reading and enjoying a hot cup of coffee. I feel like I might be the world’s worst mom, but I don’t really want to set my coffee aside to untangle dirty shoelaces. A fleeting thought crosses my mind—a gentle whisper about how to love like Jesus—and I set the mug on the table. If I’m being real, I don’t want this interruption to the one part of the day I set aside to center myself. “Maybe you’re chasing the wrong center,” a quiet thought speaks to my soul. As I begin the tedious…
-
Mama, Let Go of Your Desire to Control
I’m so excited to share a guest post from my friend Tabatha today! Tabatha has been an inspiration and encouragement to me time and time again, and I think her words will resonate with every woman who has a hard time with the desire to control the outcomes in her life! Here are Tabatha’s words: As a lover of the outdoors, kayaking has been on my bucket list for quite some time now. For many years I’ve envisioned gliding on the still waters of a serene lake while greeting the morning sun . . . The glorious autumn leaves surrounding me as I listen to the sweet music of birds…
-
3 Bible Verses About Serving Others in Hidden Places
Do you feel weary as you continue to invest in a calling that feels hidden and difficult? If so, you are not alone. Pull up a chair, and we’ll explore three Bible verses about serving others in hidden places today. 3 Bible Verses About Serving Others in Hidden Places The days passed slowly the year God wove her together in the darkness. It can be hard to hold onto hope when your dream is still covered in obscurity. You start to wonder if the dream will ever come into the light. When our precious daughter finally came to us, I could hardly believe a whole person had been hidden inside…
-
To the Overwhelmed Mother Who Wants Deeper Joy
The jewelweed is shriveling beneath the heavy blanket of summer heat as I lead my three little ones through the forest. We needed some fresh air and time outside the house. So here we are. The youngest has fallen down at least ten times. The oldest two are eager to return home to screens of some sort. And I’m just I’m trying not to yell at anyone. I want to be the kind of woman who knows how to cultivate deep joy. But mostly, I feel like the overwhelmed mother who yells too much and spends way too much time in survival mode. I hope to watch the whole crew…
-
Are You Tired of Feeling Like a Failure as a Mom?
I didn’t know I was aiming for perfection when I first laid eyes on the swaddled baby girl in the pink and blue hospital cap. She was beautiful, and I couldn’t wait to teach her everything I knew about God and life. In that precious moment, feeling like a failure as a mom was the last thought on my mind. I wanted to be everything she could ever need in a mom. I wanted to be the perfect mom, and I was pretty sure I could follow all the rules and pull it off. Most moms know all about the ideals of early motherhood. You look at your sweet little…
-
8 Scriptures on Purpose and Vision for Challenging Seasons
I wake up grumpy after a particularly difficult week of teaching my kindergartner while the one-year-old howls from the high chair. There’s no way around it: I’m struggling with life. I didn’t sign up for this. Pulling out my Bible, I begin digging for Scriptures on purpose and vision. Maybe you need these words today, too. Maybe the job that once felt like your calling now feels like drudgery, or maybe you’ve been trying to find God’s purpose for your life and falling short. Wherever this day finds you, I invite you to join our family in a challenging season as we explore what God’s Word says about purpose and…