Let's look beyond our own desires so we can better meet the needs in our marriage.I could hear his footsteps.Unmistakable. Firm, solid feet. Man-steps.Quite different than the quick pattering of all the other little feet I'd heard throughout the day.Madly chopping and slicing, I never even looked up when he entered.I felt frantic and stressed, knowing everyone was so hungry and I so far behind in my dinner preparations. My intentions had been good . . . .It's just ... continue reading...
Fighting for Faith on Foggy Roads: How to Keep Trusting
“Where are we, mama?” Her voice skipped over the backseat and broke the silence I had barely noticed. I weighed her words with my innate mama sense. Her tone held curiosity, making a hint of concern.The fog pressed thick and heavy around our car. Long past dark, the familiarity of the country roads that lead us home was gone, and only small patches of billowy light from the distant homesteads remained. I grappled for a good answer. We should be approaching that old dairy, I think. The ... continue reading...
3 Ways to Smile at the Future + Sunday Morning Smoothie Recipe
I remember as a little girl I would sometimes lay my head down in my mother's lap while she was on a phone call. I would lay there listening as she held the phone up to her ear with one hand and draped the other over me while I traced the veins on her hand with my tiny fingers. The Hands of a Mother I thought she had the most beautiful hands ever - she used them to cook, do my hair, sew buttons back on... Maybe it's because I was a child, but when I looked at her hands, I saw an outpouring of ... continue reading...
How My Daughter Became a Different Person
This weekend was the high school conference swim meet.My oldest daughter, a junior, has been swimming every summer on a neighborhood swim team since she was little. She also swims for her high school swim team. After deciding she wants to swim in college, she began swimming for a club team in September 2018.The club coach invested in her during September and October. He pushed her, laughed with her, and taught her technique. She soaked it up and put it to practice.In November, the ... continue reading...
3 Truths About Your Relationship With God
When my first son was born I barely had time to shower, I wasn’t taking time to eat. I couldn’t remember the last time I picked up my Bible or thought to pray something other than “Lord please let this kid go to sleep soon.” But I so desperately want to grow closer to God.I knew that the hope and peace I was desperately seeking could only be found in Him. I wanted to climb in my Father’s lap and let Him wipe all my tears away. I knew enough of my Bible to know that God promises to see us ... continue reading...
Real Life Love Stories That Offer A Glimpse Of The Gospel
Why do true love stories appeal to me? I'm a romantic at heart. I like a “happily ever after” as much as the next person. It's easy for me to empathize with the characters, to cheer for their happiness, to feel their hurts and hopes. Knowing that it all happened to real people only intensifies the reading experience. Real-Life Love Stories Real-life love stories display the endless creativity of the Author of life. While some are similar, no two love stories are alike, and sometimes they begin ... continue reading...
Ten Behind-The-Scenes Habits of Feeding Your Family
The ugly truth is that I was married for two decades before I figured out the food thing for my family. That’s a long time to flounder in the kitchen and to feel like a complete failure. It meant a lot of years and a lot of money eating out because I couldn’t seem to figure out cooking meals. (Read my whole story in my book, Blameless: Living A Life Free from Guilt And Shame) Now I’m 49-and-a-half and finally have it figured out. #slowstarterThe interesting thing is that I actually was a ... continue reading...
How to Build A Loving Marriage in One Small Step A Day
So how did you know he was the one?The one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with?That's what our girls were asking me. "How did you know that Dad was The Guy?"I felt I should have had an answer ready on the tip of my tongue. A thoughtful insight of some kind. But mostly I just remember him walking into the dinner party with his confident stride. Wearing a thick, manly sweater, black Levi's and western boots.Tall, dark, and handsome. With deep blue eyes.But that ... continue reading...
How to Encourage Your Husband to Be in Community
My husband is an introvert. He loves small groups of people, or better yet - one on one encounters. He doesn't need a lot of friends, and he engages best with other people in smaller environments.I am an extrovert. I love bigger groups, facilitating events, and hosting regularly. Though we're opposites in so many ways, we've been able to cultivate a community of fellow believers which supports us in our own walk with God. I'm often asked by other young wives - particularly those with ... continue reading...
10 Simple Tips to Help You Get Skin that Glows
Do you ever feel like the fight for happy skin is a losing battle? Well, you're not alone. Here's a starter list of things I use myself, that I compiled for you!!! I hope all of these items are easy to incorporate into your routine, while making a noticeable change for the better. 1. Drink More Water Wow, did you know that already?Ok, so most people know they're supposed to drink a certain amount of water. But how much really are we supposed to be drinking?!? To help your skin stay ... continue reading...
How To Raise Thankful Kids in an Entitled Culture
Recently friends took their children on a special trip. They had saved financially for this trip and taken time off from work to make it happen. My friends expected this to be a wonderful family bonding time punctuated with pure joy. They were excited and the kids were too. Ungrateful Two days into the trip sibling rivalry reared its ugly head. Whining erupted. One child didn’t like the food. Another didn’t want to do a family outing. Two brothers got into an argument that was pure nastiness. ... continue reading...
How to Control the Climate in Your Home
It’s amazing how quickly this can happen. Your family is cruising along at optimum speed and turbulence comes out of nowhere. One kid gets in some kind of mood, makes a biting remark. The others are caught off guard and respond in kind.The next you thing you know, sharp words are flying. They can’t stop themselves and as their mom, this all feels quite personal. Soon enough you spit out your own curt warnings because who are these kids? This is not okay.Now we’re all offended and ... continue reading...
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