My friend Cyndi shared this quote from Louie Giglio on Facebook. Every day we hold on to something with a clenched fist is a day we miss the possibility of God putting something amazing in our hands. When you let go, you don't lose out. I've tried to control everything from my marriage, my children, to each speck of dirt in my home. Desperate to ...
Mommyhood
Do You Ever Wake Up Cranky?
A while back I woke up cranky. Bite-your-head-off cranky. Looking for a fight, I was mad at the world. And for no reason. I slept well. No one did anything to tick me off. I. Just. Woke. Up. Cranky. Please tell me that I am not alone in this.... Knowing exactly where I needed to go to turn this around, I was led to Zephaniah ...
When You Feel Ineffective and Paralyzed
A while ago I went through Priscilla Shirer's study on The Armor of God. It completely rocked my world. If you haven't done this study, please put it on your bucket list. Priscilla explained that there is a constant battle going on around us. We know the outcome from reading Revelation but the enemy is fighting hard to fill our minds with ...
Help! My Child is Gifted
Periodically on the ABCJLM Facebook Group, a mom will comment that her child is gifted. Her 18-month-old knows his ABC's. Another will share that her 3-year-old is reading or her son is advanced and needs a harder curriculum or he will get bored. It is very exciting to be raising a child who excels in a specific area. Friends are amazed and ...
Are You Saving Energy for Your Spouse?
Frequently on this blog, I encourage you to set aside daily time for God. In this time God will change your life. But friends, there is a second relationship that the enemy desires to "steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10). That relationship is with your spouse. For those of you who work with children or stay-at-home with your own, you ...
Changing Grief into a Ministry {Giveaway}
The first part of this post has been in draft form for almost 3 years. I don't know why it was never posted, but I am continually amazed at God's perfect timing. Each night I silence my phone before bed. But for some reason last night I forgot. So when my phone signaled a text received from my mom, I was surprised. The text said, "If you are ...
When Fear is Holding You Back from Being the Parent You Desire to Be
Friends walk in and out of our lives all the time. Whether due to a location change or different seasons and interests, it is part of life. For some of these friends, you have fond memories but have trouble remember their children's names. And then for others, when they left they took a piece of your heart. Lee Nienhuis was part of my life for ...
We Need Answers
Five years ago we were in the middle of a valley. Bubs (8) was failing the 2nd Grade, Little Man (4) was in a defiant rut, and ABCJLM was demanding focused attention. I felt alone, exhausted, and helpless. See if you can relate to this post I shared in 2013. I just finished writing a long note to Bubs' speech therapist. We are between a ...
Failed Schedule to a Successful Routine
Some people come out of the womb creating schedules and organizing their socks in rainbow-color order. Others find schedules stifling and struggle to find a pair of clean sock. Experts declare that children need structure, but how do you provide structure without adding stress? In a recent ABCJesusLovesMe Facebook post, Jessica shared ...
What Is Filling Your Brain?
Garbage in, garbage out. This statement is often used when talking to teenagers about the importance of guarding their hearts and minds in regards to the media that they view and listen to. But the older I get, the more I realize the truth in this statement in my own life. What I put in my mind comes out in my words, emotions, and ...