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A Place Called Home
Home. The word conjures up images in each of our minds. For some, it's a place. For others, it's a person. Home is a place where you feel rest, comfortable, at peace. It's not something bound by four walls or family origin. Consider these common statements about home,...
The Great Do-Over In Raising A Girl
I often share my testimony with women about my almost-near disastrous relationship with my only daughter. Five years ago I made hard decisions to change my lifestyle and behavior so I could salvage our relationship when she was a teen. She’s a recent college graduate...
A Road Trip And A World Tour
The Road Trip As you're reading this, I'm somewhere in Virginia on a road trip with my youngest child. It's hard to believe it's the last one - last child, last road trip, last summer to make these memories. The road trips began as a dream. When my firstborn was a...
The Best Dating Advice You’ll Ever Get
Middle school, even younger, is when kids are being asked to “date.” Is dating what it used to be? What are good rules or guidelines when asked to date?
Clothed In Christ – Guest Post Laura Smith
“What should I wear today?” So many things factor into my decision -- the weather, my mood, where I’m going or who I’m seeing today. I’ll wear certain clothes for a work out and different clothes for lunch with a friend and a totally different outfit if I’m going out...
Raising Girls When You’ve Had Issues
Last month I shared four principles as an eating disorder survivor that were instrumental in raising a daughter with a healthy self and body image. At fourteen, I was anorexic, then bulimic, and lived with an eating disorder until I was married and raising my...
Guest Post: Kim Mishler, “Bless Kim”
I'm excited to share the humor of my friend, Kim Mishler. Kim posted this on her blog, Approaching the Vintage Years, around Father's Day and I asked if I could share it with you. Kim's the mom of three children from middle school to early twenties and is a blessing...
Guest Posts, Angry Moms, and God’s Grace
I'm guest posting this week on motherhood with ministry partners at iwokeupyesterday and with Jenny Sulpizio, author of Confessions of A Wonderwoman Wannabe. First I'm sharing "To Angry, Irritated, Frustrated Moms, You're Not Alone!" at jennysulpizio.com. Here's an...
5 Ways To Be A Dad To The Fatherless This Father’s Day
There's an epidemic in the United States that's politically incorrect to talk about. On Father's Day, I'm compelled to avoid writing another blog post about good dads. Don't get me wrong - good dads are foundational to the family, society, faith and community. But one...
And Here’s The Rest of The Story
Today my daughter's driving to Washington DC because she's leaving for Guatemala tomorrow. My son's coming home from church camp today, so last night when we all prayed together, it wasn't quite the same. She's flying out of the nation's capital during a time when...
Why God’s Word Is The Most Important
It's early Wednesday morning and I honestly don't know what day it is. I'm in the Indianapolis area speaking this week and have spoked to four groups in two days and this afternoon I'll be speaking to another. I'm kind of exhausted. But the greatest privilege I have...
19 Tips for Monitoring Social Media and Teens
Summer is filled with unsupervised time for kids. Most teens have smartphones or access to unsupervised social media, so parents have to stay on top of the technology game. This month in my column on middle schoolers at Choose Now Ministries, I tackled the social...