Happy New Year! Do those words bring peace…or anxiety? I used to love the start of a new year. A clean calendar. A fresh planner. Excitement about what might be ahead. That changed. When the New Year Brings Anxiety While I still enjoy a brand-new Be Intentional planner, I've stepped into this new year with an anxious heart. Honestly, ...
Mommyhood
13 Tips to Navigate the Holidays with Sensory-Sensitive Kids
The holidays are hard for most children and adults. But for children navigating Sensory Processing Disorder, Autism, or ADHD, the large groups of people, over stimulation, and changes in routine can send the whole day into a downward spiral. I learned—many times after the fact—that the best way to help my children (and myself) was to prepare for ...
Who I Truly Am
A few years ago, my daughter came to me with a statement that stopped me in my tracks. Sweet Pea, who was 13 at the time, looked at me and confidently said she was a follower, not a leader. When I asked how she knew that, she shrugged and said, “Because my friends told me I am.” I remember taking a long, slow breath. Those simple words revealed ...
Finding Joy When Gratitude Feels Hard
November is often called the month of gratitude, but I’ll be honest—there have been years when I didn’t feel thankful at all. Whether it was health challenges, parenting struggles, marriage stress, or financial worries, the weight of life can make November feel more annoying than inspiring. Grumpiness can sneak in so easily. When we’re tired, ...
How to Have Self-Control as a Parent
We know the verse by heart, yet living out the Fruit of the Spirit can feel nearly impossible—especially when we’re running on our last nerve. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” ~ Galatians 5:22-23 Yet there is hope! Check out this ...
Parenting Without Comparison
We all do it. Compare the things we own. Compare our marriages. Compare what we know. And yes… compare our children. As another school year begins, let’s pause and talk about how comparison affects us as parents — and what we can do about it. Here is Becky's story. When Comparison Creeps In “I need to teach Jack Bible stories!” I said to ...
Progress You May Not See
I remember oh so well. At the age of four, Peanut wanted what he wanted— and he was ready to test every limit to see if he could get it. Lying on the floor in protest? Worth a try. Yelling and stomping? Also worth testing. He just wanted to make sure that our boundaries were firm and that he could trust me to be consistent. But Peanut isn’t the ...
How Much Time Is Enough?
"Am I spending enough quality time with my child?" It's the kind of question that creeps in while folding laundry, driving, or scrolling late at night. I remember asking an older, wiser mom this exact question: How much time should I be spending with my children each day? Being a high school math teacher, she smiled and shared a ...
The Story I Didn’t Choose
I want out. This isn't fun anymore. Discouragement is winning, and I see no light at the end of the tunnel. Have you ever felt this way? Maybe it’s in marriage. Maybe parenting feels like too much. Maybe a friendship fell apart, or your job leaves you drained and defeated. Life has a way of leaving us gasping for air and wondering if we’ll ...
How to Finish Summer with Purpose
Where has the summer gone? If you're anything like me, you're still in denial that we’re halfway through 2025. But even in the midst of a quickly passing season, I want to offer three reminders to help you finish summer with purpose and peace. 1. It's Not Too Late to Make a Simple Summer Plan When the kids were little, I loved using summer ...