Here I am. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Revelation 3:20 In a society of closed doors, what if I opened mine? I find myself asking this question a lot. I find myself longing for community. Wishing for connectedness and hoping for a circle wider than myself to surround me and envelope me with arms of love and caring. I long for family and friends. I dream of laughter that splits my ... [keep reading]
5 Easy Ways You Can Recharge During the Day
In a recent conversation with a friend, she asked how my kids were doing with distance learning and the switch to doing school from home full-time. I told her they are doing great. The transition has been very smooth. They are staying on top of their schoolwork like champs. I, on the other hand, feel like the rug has been pulled out from underneath me. Before, I was in a nice groove of balancing my roles as wife and mom and staying on schedule with my at-home job. Now I joke that it feels ... [keep reading]
How to Teach Your Children Compassion in Times of Crisis
One by one, the cars pulled up in the food bank line and stopped in front of me. I put bags of potatoes in their trunks and waved them to the next station. We fed over 1,300 households that day. The faces I saw in those cars represented the full spectrum of humanity—children, elderly, middle-aged, every skin color and religion. At least half of them had never set foot in a food bank until now. And I fought tears the entire time I served them. This Covid-19 crisis has hit all of us in ... [keep reading]
From Emptiness to Optimism: Embracing the Promise of a New Season
“When the pieces seem too shattered to gather off the floor, when all that seems to matter is I don’t feel you anymore. No, I don’t feel you anymore. I need a reason to sing.” Reason to Sing – All Sons and Daughters April is the month that always reflects the state of my heart. I live in the Midwest, in rural Indiana. Winters here can be cruel and unrelenting or mild and gloomy. Either way, by the time April rolls around, I can’t wait to see the sun and feel it’s warmth on my skin. My ... [keep reading]
Can You Hear God in the Rhythm of Your Life?
I became a mom by acquiring children. Let me explain. I am not a biological mother; all of my children have come into my heart and home through unconventional means. Some planned by me, some unplanned…but all, of course, Divinely ordained. One of my biggest mom-challenges has been figuring out our “groove.” When you give birth to a child, there are generally 40 or so weeks to plan and prepare for their arrival. Even then, adjusting is hard. But when a child arrives—er…descends—into the ... [keep reading]
You Weren’t Designed to Do This Alone
Lately, I’ve been distracted with thoughts of what is going on in the world these days. Honestly, how can I maintain normalcy and try and keep everything afloat while my school-aged kids are now at home? My heart and mind are overwhelmed by trying to keep my family feeling safe and secure as I struggle to hold onto any semblance of structure we used to have in our house. I’m trying to help my kids with their schoolwork that they are now having to do from home, keep the meals coming so ... [keep reading]
3 Ways to Find Joy in Any Parenting Season
I’m so tired of waking up every two hours. I can’t wait until my baby sleeps longer. This thought ran through my mind almost every night as a new mom. Those middle-of-the-night feedings rocked my world, and I couldn’t wait to graduate to the next phase. The only problem was that once I got there, I realized I now had a toddler on the loose. This meant nothing in my house was off limits, and since I couldn’t duct tape my child to a chair, I was in charge of chasing after him. I would go ... [keep reading]
How to Find a New Rhythm When Life Seems Out of Sync
One of the hardest things moms struggle with is taking time for ourselves. Our days are filled with caring for everybody else's needs and then, if we have time, maybe our own. Society tells us we have to do more and be more to be the best mother for our kids. It’s no wonder we struggle with mom guilt when it comes to doing anything for ourselves. At the beginning of this past year, I found myself feeling burnt out, more so than typical after coming off a busy season full of deadlines and ... [keep reading]
3 Things You Can Do Right Now to Help Your Child (and Yourself) Overcome Fear and Worry
Last Saturday I did my usual: get up early, go to the gym, and head to the grocery store to grab a few things. I like to go to Fred Meyer because it has a Starbucks, and I get to enjoy my coffee while leisurely rolling my cart down the aisles. Usually no one out is out Saturday mornings, so it feels like an extra special treat away from my busy schedule. But walking into Fred Meyer last Saturday was a biohazard. The store was packed, and the shelves were barren. Not only was COVID-19 concern ... [keep reading]
Do You Have 10 Minutes to Spend on Yourself?
It starts from the minute we hold our babies in our arms. Our needs become second as we wake up in the middle of the night to feed, rock, and soothe. Soon our babies become toddlers, and our time is consumed with keeping them out of danger, calming their tantrums, and training them out of diapers. The elementary and teen years add new layers to the schedule. We find ourselves taxiing kids to activities while trying to keep up with the emotional mayhem that comes with hormones. Every phase ... [keep reading]
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