Live Only True Stories

Just because a leader is "effective" doesn't make them superb.

History shows "effective" tyrants can harmful tyrants.

What makes the difference between a superb leader or a harmful tyrant?

We'll examine six principles for distinguishing the difference. Whether the leader is you or someone else, in a paid position, volunteer capacity, or role within your family.

You'll see the importance in noticing the difference in asking, "What can I get" to "What do I need?" You'll be observant about whether someone is aware or disinterested in what it's like to be the "boots on the ground." You'll spot the red flag when transparency has to be requested or demanded.

Empower yourself and your family to engage fully in God’s grand story. Subscribe to Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for insights, encouragement, and practical resources!

Check out speaking engagements for women's gatherings, parenting conferences, and Christian education events.

#spirituallystrong

#emotionalhealth

#relationships

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity

#lifeskey3

All of parenting (and life) is lived in a state of tension.

Not the kind of tension that comes from endless laundry, sibling squabbles, and sassy kiddos. But tension between two truths that must be held in balance.

Teaching kids to respect leaders while being aware leaders can manipulate, exploit, and abuse, is definitely one of those tensions.

Learn five practices to navigate this tight-rope successfully!

Empower yourself and your family to engage fully in God’s grand story. Subscribe to Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for insights, encouragement, and practical resources!

Check out speaking engagements for women's gatherings, parenting conferences, and Christian education events.

#spirituallystrong

#emotionalhealth

#relationships

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity

#lifeskey3

Three words scare me. "God told me."

Why? Because those words began a life-changing, one-sided discussion from a person in a position of spiritual authority which devastated my heart.

I understand "church hurt" from experience.

How do we recover from leadership failures? We have examples in the Bible because leadership failure is nothing new. Continuing our dive into the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, we'll look at:

• Living from a values mindset vs. an outcome approach
• Why the core compass of truth is necessary to recover from and prevent leadership abuse
• Speaking up until the situation changes
• Distinguishing between individuals and institutions
• Why rebuilding trust must follow behavior, not precede it
• Resisting the desire for revenge
• Choosing to let your response define you, not someone else's behavior

Empower yourself and your family to engage fully in God’s grand story. Subscribe to Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for insights, encouragement, and practical resources!

Check out speaking engagements for women's gatherings, parenting conferences, and Christian education events.

#spirituallystrong

#emotionalhealth

#relationships

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity

#lifeskey3

How does a parent raise kids prepared for the real world without creating paranoia? It's difficult -- especially when this includes teaching kids to recognize that even people they know might be manipulative, abusive, or exploitative. It's not always strangers or people "out there."

I unpack this tough topic today, using Nehemiah 5 as the perfect backdrop and model. Learn the principle tying levels of independence to levels of awareness. Learn questions you can ask and teach your children to ask themselves.

One of the best ways to keep kids safe is by making them strong and savvy. Be encouraged and equipped to do just that.

Empower yourself and your family to engage fully in God’s grand story. Subscribe to Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for insights, encouragement, and practical resources!

Check out speaking engagements for women's gatherings, parenting conferences, and Christian education events.

#parenting

#raisingkids

#raisingchristiankids

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianfamilies

#christianparenting

#lifeskey3

Betrayal, abuse, manipulation, exploitation. Tragically, it's not just "outsiders" who subject us to these behaviors. It can come from right within our families, communities, and even our churches.

Being wounded by spiritual leaders is especially devastating.

In Nehemiah 5, we see four specific steps that are taken to deal with the abusive leadership that's happening while people are trying to rebuild Jerusalem's walls.

Nehemiah confronts, commands, compels, and calls. Learn how these four keys still unlock freedom for the wounded and oppressed today.

Empower yourself and your family to engage fully in God’s grand story. Subscribe to Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for insights, encouragement, and practical resources!

Check out speaking engagements for women's gatherings, parenting conferences, and Christian education events.

#leadership

#christianleadership

#churchhurt

#spiritualabuse

#bible

#faith

#truth

#lifeskey3

Is making your four-year-old let Aunt Helen hug her a bad idea?

What does a younger sibling knocking over an older toddler's blocks have to do with flower gardens and your neighbor's nosy dog?

Why will you never win a power struggle?

What's one of the most life-impacting practices you can do as a parent?

Get insights and answers to these questions and more in today's episode!

Empower yourself and your family to engage fully in God’s grand story. Subscribe to Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for insights, encouragement, and practical resources!

Check out speaking engagements for women's gatherings, parenting conferences, and Christian education events.

#parenting

#christianparenting

#raisingkids

#raisingempoweredkids

#raisingstrongkids

#bible

#biblestudy

#christianfamilies

#christianparenting

#lifeskey3

What possible connection could Emily Dickinson and Nehemiah have?

You might be surprised!

In today’s episode, you’ll see how the ancient leader Nehemiah employed three leadership practices just as relevant today as 2,500 years ago.

1. Distinguish between practices that are appropriate for an emergency or a season but aren’t sustainable in the long run. Have an exit strategy for temporary solutions.

2. Call people to do hard things even when it seems way outside of their skill set. As Dickinson wrote, “We never know how high we are, Till we are asked to rise.” Good leaders know how to call and equip people to rise to occasions greater than they believe is possible.

3. Be willing to put up with some “stink” when it’s necessary to achieve worthy goals.

Empower yourself and your family to engage fully in God’s grand story. Subscribe to Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for insights, encouragement, and practical resources!

Check out speaking engagements for women's gatherings, parenting conferences, and Christian education events.

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#familydevotions

#christianfaith

#christianfamilies

#christianparenting

#christianwomen

#christianity

#familybiblestudy

#biblestudyforkids

#biblestudyforchildren

#lifeskey3

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" isn't a wise adage. It's the comeback of someone who’s been hurt by words but doesn't want to let it show.

Words wound or heal. They tear apart or bring together. They strengthen or destroy.

The first 14 verses of Nehemiah 4 are an opportunity to teach (and re-teach and re-teach) kids these truths:

1. Following God and achieving success will make you a target of resistance and maybe even ridicule.

2. Words have a powerful impact, whether they are typed, heard, or spoken.

3. God calls us to both prayer and action.

4. There’s a time to take a situation only to God, and there’s a time to speak up and act on behalf of yourself and those being impacted by harmful words.

Teaching about words isn’t a “one & done” activity. Rather, it’s an ongoing task. No matter how much kids may roll their eyes or say, “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” wise parents continue to teach about this critical topic. The power of words – whether those said or heard, texted or read – can’t be overstated, especially with today’s technology. It’s crucial we teach children to be mindful of the words they are sending into the world and those they are absorbing.

Empower yourself and your family to engage fully in God’s grand story. Subscribe to Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for insights, encouragement, and practical resources!

Check out speaking engagements for women's gatherings, parenting conferences, and Christian education events.

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#familydevotions

#christianfaith

#christianfamilies

#christianparenting

#christianwomen

#christianity

#familybiblestudy

#biblestudyforkids

#biblestudyforchildren

#lifeskey3

Success doesn’t always make you a star. Sometimes it makes you a target.

That’s what happens to Nehemiah and the Jews who are at work rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. In the 4th chapter, verses 1-14, we see these truths:

1. Accomplishments will make you a target.

2. Never underestimate what a unified body of people can accomplish.

3. Anticipate resistance to increase in intensity the more you achieve.

4. Understand resistance comes from both internal and external sources.

5. Prayer is not a substitute for action.

Sign up for Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for free resources and a weekly e-letter helping you build spiritually strong, emotionally healthy, and relationally smart generations! Invite Stephanie to speak at your women, moms, or parents’ event. Email [email protected] or visit the website for more information.

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#familydevotions

#christianfaith

#christianfamilies

#christianparenting

#christianwomen

#christianity

#familybiblestudy

#lifeskey3

You want your kids to have a good work ethic. But how does this happen without bribery or nagging? Won't they learn how to work in adulthood?

We discuss how to apply the four principles hidden in Nehemiah chapter 3:

• The importance of credit and recognition
• Life skills everyone needs
• Teaching no one is above doing "menial" work
• Tapping into intrinsic motivation

Get more insights, tips, and resource recommendations by signing up for Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents!

Check out speaking engagements for women's gatherings, parenting conferences, and Christian education events.

#raisingkids

#parenting

#christianparenting

#parentingprinciples

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#familydevotions

#christianfamilies

#familybiblestudy

#biblestudyforkids

#biblestudyforchildren

#lifeskey3