by Katie Powner I was in my twenties when I became a mother. My biological sons were born with no complications, and I took for granted that I would know what to do. Not that I had motherhood all figured out, but I believed many things would come naturally. And they did. I didn’t have to learn how to love my boys. I didn’t have to figure out how to be concerned when they were sick. No one had to tell me that I must do whatever it took to make sure they had enough to eat. I

by Ashlee Gadd I am standing at the kitchen counter, spooning banana mix into a muffin tin, when my daughter makes a proposal. “How about dis . . . ?” Presley begins, pausing for dramatic effect. “How about I put four chocolate chips on each muffin because dat’s how old I am?” I smile at her logic. Once every pink polka-dotted liner is filled with batter and topped with exactly four chocolate chips, I place both tins on the middle rack and set a timer. Presley runs ou

by September McCarthy The world has created idealistic versions of what being a mom is. Women seem to be given choices of which version of mom they would “like to be.” Stereotypes come in all shapes and forms: working mother, stay-at-home mother, helicopter mother, soccer mom, devoted mom, and cool mom. Sure, we find our people, our style, our groove. We can choose to stay home or a career, and yet, we are and always will be “mother”—the woman up at night cradling her baby,

by Lindsey Goff Viducich “Slow down!” “Pay attention!” “What did I just ask you to do?” “You need to calm down!” These are phrases many children with ADHD hear every day. When a parent first learns that their child has ADHD, the emotions can be overwhelming. Parents may worry about school, friendships, or what the future will look like. As a parent, an educator, and someone who was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, I found myself asking a different question: What if neurodiv

by Gary Chapman The 5 Love Languages explains how everyone has a primary love language, one that resonates most deeply. But it’s rarely the only way that person feels loved. A secondary love language can be incredibly important, and neglecting it can lead to feelings of disconnection or dissatisfaction. For instance, someone whose primary love language is physical touch might also need words of affirmation to feel truly loved and valued. If their partner focuses exclusively

by Scott James I sat at my desk with coffee in hand and the Psalms opened before me. It was early in the morning and I could hear the kids beginning to rattle around in the next room. Just as I was keying in on a particular verse, one of my little guys shuffled into the study still wiping the sleep from his eyes. He plopped down on the couch in front of me and eased into the morning by chatting me up about his grand plans for the day. I confess that part of me wanted to gua

by Abbie Halberstadt “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” —Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NIV) The Lord, through Moses, is establishing the parameters for daily liturgy—a commonplace catechism of worship that requires no church building or rites more sacred than the everyday practices of a family at work and play

by RuthAnn Zimmerman Over the years, I have come to realize that when people express overwhelm or bafflement at the thought of a family...

by Jamie Erickson I sat across from a young mom in a hipster coffee shop, the kind that serves deconstructed breakfast sandwiches in a...

by Amber Lia “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:22 It was a happy moment. All...

by Samantha Decker With tired eyes, sagging shoulders, and an aching lower back, I placed the computer on top of my seven-month pregnant...

by Hallie Dye Several summers ago, we joined a gym. I promise it is first and foremost a gym, but I’ll be honest—the pool, the splash...

by Tricia Goyer and Leslie Nunnery Have you ever experienced something like this? Picture a sunny Saturday afternoon, the park buzzing...

by Carey Scott “Sell your material possessions, and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves wallets that don’t wear out! Make a...

by Laura Wifler Susanna Wesley had eleven children and still found time to pray. You may have never heard of her, but you may have heard...

by Arlene Pellicane God created humans with one mouth and two ears. You might say it is a visual reminder that listening is more...

by Hilary Bernstein Rest and relief aren’t always associated with our homes or our hearts, are they? We get so caught up thinking about...

by Sally Clarkson As I enter my seventies, I reflect with gratitude on my four children and growing number of grandchildren. Watching my...

by Jessie Minassian I’ll never forget the first time I heard it. I was speaking to a group of teen girls in Texas, and when the Q&A time...

by Emily A. Jensen and Laura Wifler Over the last decade, the two of us (Emily and Laura) have embarked on our own journeys to...