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5 Lessons When Faith Becomes Real
Big changes are happening at the Yoder home. Another graduate is on our doorstep. Our firstborn is leaving as a full time missionary in August. And I'm leaving my secure, paid job as a school counselor to devote more time to writing, speaking, advocating, and...
Five Bible Verses to Teach Your Kids Practical Money Skills
Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. The longer you wait to start teaching your children to be...
I Have No Friends and Other Mom Grief
I desire friendship was what I wrote in my journal. The tears flowed and I felt stupid. I had mom grief. What a selfish thing to write, I thought. I have friends. I mean, I had friends. Now, I have relationships. Work relationships, Facebook and Instagram...
5 Principles for Family Blessings
I used to cringe at the word "Blessing." It brought memories of Jim Bakker at PTL telling me, a young Christian, that God wanted to bless me and give me a life as glamorous as his PTL compound. Which later was busted and closed down for embezzlement. He went to jail...
The Most Important Type of Housecleaning
Parents, what you do matters. While your kids sidetrack you with whines, cries, and temper tantrums, what you do while training them each day is important. Eternally important. “Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so...
Making Easter Your Everyday
Sharing a video blog post about making Easter your everyday. See the Easter video here. Celebrate that Jesus is risen--as He has conquered death and sin in your life if you know Him as your Lord and Savior. He is risen--He is risen indeed! Click photo below for...
16 Lessons I’ve Learned as a Parent
My son turned sixteen and he's getting his license. He's got the truck. It's called the Kentmobile. A big milestone in a child's life--sixteen. As I reflect on my sixteen-year-old, here are sixteen lessons I’ve learned being a mom. You have to what is best for your...
5 Reasons Family Devotions are Important
What's your idea of family devotions? Children quietly sitting as their father shares insight from the Bible? If that's not your reality, you're not alone. Is this more like your house--your family is barely ever home at the same time, except when everyone’s...
11 Ways to Raise Honest Kids in a Trumped Culture
The election results continue to come in. No matter what side of the political scene you're on, the game-changing nature of the political climate has most adults bewildered. Those of us parenting might wonder how to raise honest kids when we don't see those qualities...
Honesty and Envy and You
Last week, I was reminded of envy. I read about the Longaberger Basket office closing. If you don't know what that is, it's the building which houses the Longaberger company headquarters. It's shaped like a basket and is in southern Ohio. My friends and I went there...
7 Things When Elections Leave You Speechless
A week ago, a personal post I wrote went viral and appeared in The Washington Post. As a public school educator who is also a Christian, and a faith writer with social media presence, I was scared. Because being a Christian isn't popular and working as a Christian...
When Love Is Hard
It's been a week of love. But sometimes, love is hard. Not the loving-someone-who-loves-you-back kind, but the loving-someone-who-doesn’t-reciprocate kind. Loving when you’ve been wounded, you’ve forgiven, and you desire genuine restoration. But instead of release,...