"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. 

It's growing season! The weather is turning warming and it is time to get out into the dirt with out kids.

During this two part conversation, I chat with Chelsea Svendsen -- homeschool mom to four, almost five kids, a student of horticulture, greenhouse gardener,  manger of the account, Life In the Yellow House -- all about Gardening.

In the first half of our conversation (posted today) we discuss various methods for preparing our soil and easy, non intimidating ways to get started with gardening.  More than discussing plants, however, we will be reflecting on how the Master Gardener has revealed Himself to us all the more through green, growing things.

Check back later for the second half of this conversation! (Which I love even more than the first!)

If there's one thing that drives me to prayer, it's my kids! It can be so hard to know how best to love and to parent them! Especially in the area of discipline. 

Join for part three of our conversation with Kim Seville on discipline. Today Kim goes through and addresses a number of frequently asked questions --what if we are running late? What if my child "doesn't hear" me? Are timeouts effective? Should I give my kids a countdown?

And finally, we'll briefly consider a bad example of discipline in the cultural narrative and discuss ways to safeguard our thinking. 

Kim Seville –counseling lead for Frontlines Ministries, Dallas Theological Seminary grad, a former missionary in Asia, mom to five kids, and wife to Pastor Jason at Del Ray Baptist.

Some cultural streams seem to suggest that children may not need discipline, but just redirection. Redirection can be a glorious and wonderful thing. But are there times that a child needs to be corrected in his or her ways?

When do you know if a child needs correction? How exactly does a parent discipline in a loving and effective way? What are the various stages of development? When should a parent discipline? When should a parent let some things slip?

Join for part two of a three part conversation with Kim Seville on discipline. 

Kim Seville –counseling lead for Frontlines Ministries, Dallas Theological Seminary grad, a former missionary in Asia, mom to five kids, and wife to Pastor Jason at Del Ray Baptist.

Today, Kim shares her three expectations for her children and her three expectations for herself.

What is corrective discipline and why do kids need it? What's the difference between formative and corrective training?

Why is it harmful to our kids and to our own hearts to withhold training? How does training our kids also train us to see God’s authority rightly?

How is neglecting discipline an act of sin on our part? Is there any encouragement for the mom who feels like all she does all day is correct sinful behavior?

Tune in for this encouraging conversation with Kim Seville –counseling lead for Frontlines Ministries, Dallas Theological Seminary grad, a former missionary in Asia, mom to five kids, and wife to Pastor Jason at Del Ray Baptist.

Did you know that the paschal, or Easter Greeting, "Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed," likely dates back to the earliest days of the Christian church? The marvel of the resurrection of Christ has been capturing the hearts and minds of Christians since the first disciples discovered in wonder that the stone had been rolled away.

Holy Week, or Great Week as it is known in some traditions, is worth celebrating and observing!

On the episode today we will discuss the history of Holy Week observance in the church, learn about Easter traditions around the globe, walk through what Jesus did each day of Passion Week, and chat through some fun activities and traditions to celebrate the Resurrection between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.

May we never stop marveling at what Christ has done.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!!

If you'd like to see my Holy Week Party outline just email [email protected]

Links:
 
Easter Week in Real Time
Rick Steve's Easter in Europe
Resurrection Eggs
Hosanna --Steve Green

In James 1:27  we read:
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. "
But the reality is that adoption usually doesn’t involve “Annie” style storylines. All kids will struggle at points during their development, but children who have been through the foster care system often have nuanced challenges.

In light of this, how can the church better come alongside and care for adoptive families? Most of us as moms are already pretty overwhelmed and sometimes the suggestions for how to assist adoptive families sounds even more overwhelming.
Adoptive mom Christine Gordon  encourages us to "think smaller."
Christine shares encouragement and practical suggestions for little ways we can come alongside one another regardless of our parenting situation. Christine is a wife to Michael and mother of three, co-founder of At His Feet Studies and a visiting instructor at Covenant Theological Seminary.  This is a longer podcast, but absolutely worth your time.

Winter months can be a little dark, and “blah.” 

Most of us love Christmas, but when it comes around to late February and early March we are desperate for some tulips to start blooming. What do we do with these gloomy months of waiting? And how does the waiting help prepare us for the glories of Spring? 

What is the connection between waiting and rejoicing? Why is waiting such a big part of the individual Christian’s life and the life of the church across the ages?

In particular, how can we use this time to cultivate wonder at the miracle of the resurrection?

Listen in for a thoughtful conversation with Kelly Havens to hear lots of practical ideas for getting our hands dirty and our hearts engaged during the third month of the year.

Kelly is a mom to two little boys and is expecting a little girl on May 19th! She seeks to open our eyes to both how personal and how powerful God is through her photography, devotional writing on Instagram, and her spiritually challenging podcast (The Eternal Perspective). She also has an Etsy sewing shop where she sells timeless country styles.

Check out Kelly's amazing Instagram HERE!

All moms want to show love and affection to their families.
But sometimes, it can feel super hard to do so!
Even though it seems like loving our families should be natural, it isn't. We are sinners and our families are made up of sinners. Which means love can be downright challenging.
What are some ways we can combat the negativity spiral and move closer to our families --rather than further apart --even when we don't always feel like it? 
Tune in. for a discussion about reframing our mindset and cultivating affectionate habits.
****PS! My sweet toddler Johnny is a bit distracting in the first 5 minutes of this chat --stick with me or feel free to skip ahead! #momlife made recording a challenge this time.