About a year ago, Melanie and I recorded a podcast episode we didn’t know would be our last for quite some time. The break wasn’t planned, but life required it.
2025 brought confusion, heartbreak, grief, and parenting decisions that didn’t come with clear answers. Today, I want to share why that pause happened and what God has been teaching us along the way.
Read the podcast transcript
A Year of Pulling Back and Pressing In
In 2025, God placed it on my heart to rewrite the entire ABCJesusLovesMe 1-5 Year Preschool Curricula at the same time. That process took about twelve months of prayer, listening, writing, and rewriting. I pulled back from many things so I could focus and create the best possible Curriculum.
At the same time, our family was walking through some extremely hard parenting. We had to release a child in a way I never imagined. The grief that followed was deep, affecting our entire family. I stepped back even further, not to figure out what God was doing, but to discern what I needed to do next.
Melanie’s year was also filled with deep loss and unexpected change. Early in 2025, her almost 26-year marriage ended. Everything changed at once — home, work, parenting, daily life.
And yet, from the very beginning, God met her through her time with Him and His people. Friends showed up immediately. Community surrounded her children. God didn’t rush them through the grief; He stayed with them in it.
When You’re Afraid of Making the Wrong Choice
One of the biggest lessons God taught me came in the middle of a parenting decision that felt impossible. I was panicking — afraid that my husband and I were going to make the wrong choice, causing more pain. Then, completely out of the blue, someone spoke words that gave me so much freedom. He said, “You and your husband aren’t going to make a wrong decision.” Not because the decision didn’t matter, but because we had been seeking God for years, not just in that moment. That truth changed everything for me.
I tend to think in black and white. Right or wrong. Good or bad. But God keeps reminding me that so many parenting decisions live in the gray. He isn’t asking us to predict the outcome. He’s asking us to take the next step while seeking Him, His Word, and wise counsel.
That lesson echoed in Melanie’s story too. She learned to release the need to know why and instead trust that nothing about her story surprised God. Again and again, the answer wasn’t clarity — it was faithfulness in the next step.
There Is No Parenting Formula
Both of us were reminded of something we’ve talked about for years: there is no parenting formula. Teaching your child about God, going to church, and doing all the “right things” does not guarantee a child who grows up to serves the Lord. We own the foundation we lay and the example we live, but we do not own our almost-adult children’s choices.
That truth is both humbling and freeing. Sometimes, without realizing it, we slip into believing that if our kids turn out a certain way, it proves we did things right. But God doesn’t need me to prove anything. He is God. I am not.
Parenting to Impress has never been about impressing others. It has always been about impressing God’s truth on the heart of our children (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) — even when that happens through struggle and grief.
Learning to Pray When I Don’t Have Words
This last year has also significantly changed my quiet time. My prayer journal now looks very different. Much of the pages are filled with Scripture—especially the Psalms—turned into prayer. Psalm 118 became a lifeline, reminding me who God is when emotions said otherwise. Praying Scripture helped me express my heart to God when my own words fell short. It also provided me with peace as I was reminded of God’s character.
God Is Close to the Brokenhearted
Melanie learned something she now holds as an anchor: God is close to the brokenhearted, and He does not rush healing.
One moment stands out: when she asked her teenage son if they were going to be okay, his answer was simple and confident—We’ve got God.
That is the fruit we pray for in our children. Not perfection. Not easy paths. But faith that holds when life doesn’t.
Taking the Next Step
This post — and this podcast episode — has been a long time coming.
If you’re walking through a season where life feels heavy, unclear, or painful, I want you to hear this: you are not alone. God is with you. He is not surprised by the circumstances. And He is faithful to meet you in each step.
Melanie and I are back to podcasting, continuing our mission to encourage and share with other moms. Today’s conversation is another reminder that we’ve made plenty of mistakes, but we’ve also experienced God’s grace and truth. We invite you to take the next step with us.
