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. 

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.