parenting advice Archives - Page 3 of 9

Expectant devotions for new and expectant moms

How far is the distance between your parenting expectations and your reality? Becoming a mom has a way of surpassing and squashing our expectations at the same time. It’s a weird and wonderful thing, this journey of growing into a mama. For those just starting out, it helps to have a guide for growing your own life while growing your family. EXPECTANT, 40 devotions for new and expectant moms, is that guide. Whether we join the adventure biologically or through adoption, experience has a way of changing our expectations. Honest moms who can remember will admit to announcing they would …

We Can Train Them Up But–

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 NKJV Chances are if you’ve been around any mom of faith then you’ve probably rubbed up against this verse a few times. It’s sort of like the parenting “go-to” verse. It’s a great truth that I’ve clung to many times while raising my boys…but, there’s one part of it that I never fully was able to grasp until now. Here’s what I’ve been learning on my twenty first year as a mama bear, we can train up …

Motherhood Is Hard Work

Without a doubt being a mom is one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever had in my life. Never would I have imagined the sheer number of emotions and the intensity each one brings with it. It’s true, motherhood is hard work, and it’s time for moms to stick together. It’s my heart that by coming to you as a “seasoned” (that’s a nicer way of saying “older”) mom and sharing a little bit of what I’ve learned on the journey of being a mom. Here’s what I can tell you…it doesn’t get easier. Yeah, not the answer you expected, …

Clearing Out The Clutter

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace… 1 Corinthians 14:33a NLT If you are like me there are some cabinets or closets in your house that are shoved, jammed, and packed full of “stuff”. So full, in fact, that when you open them you have to be on guard and ready for anything to happen. My tupperware cabinet is like that, you pretty much take your life into your own hands if you want to get in or out of that cabinet. Right now you’ve already started to think about that cabinet or closet in your …

Five Tips for Moms of Flower Girls and Ring Bearers

Many people get a chuckle out of the flower girls and ring bearers at weddings. I have been to many weddings where the ring bearer would start saying something silly or the flower girls would dump out all their petals right at the end of the aisle. They always look darling in their nice outfits and they are a sweet reminder of how Jesus loves us. But, if you’ve ever been the mother of a flower girl or ring bearer, you know how rewarding and difficult it is to have your children in a wedding. My brother recently got married …

How To Change Your Stinking Thinking

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ~ Philippians 4:8 Mom, it’s so easy to get stuck in some stinking thinking. Believe me, I know…I’ve been there, done that and got the t-shirt. Trust me on this though, this is one place you just don’t want to hang out in because it will start to affect every single aspect of your life. We’re going to jump in today and talk about how to change your stinking thinking. Your marriage, …

Finding Quiet in Our “Everything is Awesome*” World

In our dazzling million dollar budget animated everything is awesome sensory overloaded world… it is hard to think…to pause…to find quiet. Daily life now resembles the rapid fire visuals seen on huge 3D movie screens which dash at us so fast… we don’t pause… to calculate… to consider… The overwhelming roller-coaster of clamorous non-stop information penetrates our minds and splits our thinking…while silently shaping who we are… from the inside out. Our souls starve for quiet reflection amid the pounding chaos. For uninterrupted thoughts. For deep truth. When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the …

Being A Fully Present Woman

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and you are interacting and yet not fully present? You catch yourself nodding and even saying something in response every now and then. It’s generally more like an ‘uh huh’ instead of a real response. You are smiling and pretending to be engaged, but the whole time you are actually somewhere else. We’ve all done it, we make the grocery list, text our kids, husband or friends, maybe even check in on Facebook…all the while in the presence of someone right in front of us. It might be the kids, our …

Even Moms Need More Sleep

And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. Genesis 2:2 ESV She’s here, she’s there, she’s everywhere. You’re the mom, which means you are always on the go: groceries, diapers, and carlines are a part of your everyday world and somewhere in the chaos of it all we’ve bought into the lie that we’ve got to be some kind of supermom. You know, faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than…oh, who are we kidding, we’re not super mom, nor should …

Who Else Wants Clear Direction?

I blew it. Days of swimming through murky teenage “stuff” paired with this new stage of parenting resulted in my not-so-pretty meltdown. Late the same evening I found myself on the edge of my teen’s bed. His now huge 6 foot, 15 year-old frame had his back turned towards me as my quivering words spilled out, “I’m so sorry. I blew it. My words were awful. Will you forgive me?” Parenting is hard. We stumble through one developmental stage, look back on that point in time with confidence as we emerge, then find ourselves knee-deep in doubt …

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