Delighted Motherhood

The U.S. Surgeon General just released an advisory warning that parental stress is a significant public health concern. Reporting on the advisory, the Wall Street Journal ran a headline stating that, “Parenting is Hazardous to Your Health.”

According to the advisory, four in 10 parents report feeling so stressed they can’t function. 

What is it about our current cultural moment that makes parents so prone to severe mental health challenges? 

“Samwise Gamgee, my dear hobbit –indeed, Sam my dearest hobbit, friend of friends.” 

There's something spectacularly lovely about a true friend.

A friend who loves what you love, who understands your deep longings, and who helps you see the things that are truly beautiful --even in the midst of brokenness. 

 A friendship like that is a gift from God. 

Since the dawn of sin, friendships have been broken. All relationships are fraught and sometimes the obstacles to meaningful friendships can feel insurmountable. 

Tune in as we think through a Biblical definition for friendship, consider how we are designed for friendship, and then chat through a few practicalities. 

As parents we all long for our kids to “turn out right.” 

We want them to grow up to be kind, thoughtful, well adjusted and successful adults. And most of us, as Christians, are desperate for our kids to know the Lord.

But how does the sovereignty of God factor into all of that? Does my parenting even matter?

The biblical view of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility in parenting –as in the rest of life –is freeing, empowering, encouraging, and glorious.

Tune in as Jason Seville, pastor at Del Ray Baptist Church and father to five, helps us to unpack the paradox of sovereignty and human agency.

We can be encouraged that when we are faithful to parent our children according to Scripture, that directly brings a blessing upon our children in ways we may not even fully understand because God is sovereign and he gave us Scripture for our good. 

Are Patriotism and Christianity Compatible? Is it okay to say "I'm proud to be an American?" How about politics? What does it look like to engage advocacy and activism as Christians?

The presidential election in the United States is in full swing and it's an interesting election for sure. But as Christians, we must be careful to rightly order our allegiance and our passions without being cynical. 

Listen in for a conversation with James Nelson (J.D. Harvard Law 2016) about how to care for the good of our country, government, and neighbors while keeping our ultimate allegiance to the glory of God and advance of his kingdom front and center.

To be a mom is often to feel guilt. Often we feel overwhelmed by everything we aren’t doing that we “should” be doing and we can worry that we are messing up our kids. 

Our friends, often out of love, tell us we have nothing to worry about. We’ve done nothing wrong and we are perfect mothers. But in our gut we know we aren’t perfect mothers and we know we have failed our kids at times.

How do we discern between conviction over areas where we have sinned versus shame over things the Lord has already forgiven us for or things that we have no power to control? 

How do we sort out which things we “need to do” as opposed to things our culture says we need to do? 

What are some techniques for dealing with overwhelming feelings of shame in the moment?

Listen in for a Biblical consideration of "mom guilt" with Melissa Falcone --staff counselor at Del Ray Baptist Church, Westminster Seminary grad, Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation instructor, and mom to four.

Resource Mentioned:

Ask Pastor John, “How Do I Forget My Sinful Past?”

Summer is a time for playing in the sun, splashing around, sleeping in, roasting marshmallows and all around soaking up a season of chillaxin. 

But it can also be a season of planning.

Before we know it the chaos of the school year will descend upon us. And if we don’t plan thoughtfully, we may end up overwhelmed when our fall schedules start to pick up.

• How can we prepare at a high level now so that we don’t lose sight of our top priorities when daily pressures begin to pile up? 
• Why is it important to think through our priorities and values before planning our schedules and routines? 
• What are your family priorities and values?
• What are some of the most important things to keep top of mind when deciding which activities to say yes to and which to say no to?

“Time cannot be used over again. Time cannot be taken to the cleaners and brought back as good as new, to be used another way. Childhood cannot be used over again for another set of preparations nor a different set of memories.” –Edith Schaeffer, Common Sense Christian Living.
 
Listen in for a conversation with Lyndsey Mimnagh, homeschool mama of four and the founder of Treehouse Schoolhouse on how to schedule our priorities rather than prioritize our schedules.
Check out Treehouse Schoolhouse for loads of beautiful and inspiring resources including nature study, book lists, and family-centered devotionals.
Enjoy 20 percent off digital products now through July 28th! And check out dozens of free downloads and inspiring books.
Use the code delightedmotherhood15 for 15% off any purchase. 

Summer is upon us! Which means pool days, vacations, VBS, and lots of ice cream. It also means lots of our schedule and routines are all out of wack. 

And that's slightly delightful. But in the midst of all this disruption, one practice we should safeguard is spending time daily in the Bible and in prayer. 

Why is a daily practice (of any length) so important for our lives? How can neglecting our spiritual formation actually be harmful to our families? And does a personal devotional practice have to be long? (No!)

In this episode we'll talk about strategies for easy 5-15 minute "bite sized" quiet times and be encouraged that pursuing the Lord is always worth fighting for.

“And because love is a habit, our hearts are calibrated through imitating exemplars and being immersed to practices that, over time, index our hearts to a certain end.”  -- James K. A. Smith

Do you ever feel that your house is nothing but bad diaper smells, legos under the table and clutter? Is it even possible to have a "pretty house" during the season of motherhood? Or is it just frivolous to desire?
And if not, how does one decorate sensibly without breaking the bank?
Join me for a two part series with Rebecca Gallop, the creator of A Daily Something and a homeschool mom to five living in West Virginia, about seeking out loveliness from a gospel perspective.
In this episode we cover inexpensive ways to make homes beautiful from foraging to thrifting. We'll chat about why it's important to fill our homes with lovely things that are intended to be used everyday and can be broken. 
And finally, we'll talk about strategies for maintaining order while hosting huge crowds and the power of setting boundaries.
If you love homemaking, this episode is for you! Enjoy!!

"You must do something to make the world more beautiful." -- Miss Rumphius
God, the ultimate designer and cultivator, created the world with unmistakable beauty.
Everywhere we look we see evidence of God’s glory in what he has formed.  “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." Psalm 19:1-2 
As moms who are made in the image of God, how can we bring beauty and creativity into our domains and spheres of influence?   
At at the core, what makes a home lovely?
What makes a mother beautiful and lovely?  If we want to create life giving spaces, where should our focus be?
In what ways is homemaking a "hidden art" and why is that a good thing?
Join me for a two part series with Rebecca Gallop, the creator of A Daily Something and a homeschool mom to five living in West Virginia, about seeking out loveliness from a gospel perspective.

What is it about green growing things that is so appealing? 

Why do we tend to feel so alive and at peace in a beautifully cared for garden? What deep eternal truths does God have to teach us through the process of tending the ground? In the midst of plant decapitating toddlers, is their hope for our plants? 

Listen in for loads of gardening tips with kids of all ages and reflections on the God who has given it to us all with the dearest Chelsea Svendsen.