A while back, I did a little experiment. I logged into Instagram, started scrolling, and made a list of allllll the things I felt like I "should" be doing. I *should* eat healthier. I *should* exercise. I *should* figure out how to do my hair. I *should* do more crafts with my kids. I *should* be better at talking to my husband... In almost no time at all, I had a list of 20+ things I wanted to do, learn, or improve at. These weren't even pushy, shame-y accounts. (I don't follow those.) Just...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
What if you woke up tomorrow and somehow had plenty of time for everything that matters most to you? You could start your day in prayer and Scripture, hit the gym for a sweaty workout, write in your gratitude journal, and/or enjoy a delicious, healthy breakfast. You could spend hours on work that's meaningful, where you feel capable and confident you're making a real difference. You could spend time making memories with the people who matter most to you. You could pursue the hobbies that...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Have you ever sat in a Bible study, listened to everyone else share their thoughts, and quietly wondered how they got allllllll of that out of the same verses you just read? Someone points out a connection you completely missed. Another woman has three cross-references ready to go. Someone else says, "I just love how this verse shows..." And you're sitting there thinking: "Wait... how did you guys see all of that?" So you nod along. You jot down what everyone else says. And somewhere in the...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Does it ever feel like your life is nothing more than an endless to-do list for everyone else? The kids need something. The house needs something. Your husband could use five minutes of your full attention that you just don't have. Maybe you're leading a Bible study, or you said yes to a volunteer slot, or there's a workout you keep meaning to start and haven't yet. Every single thing on that list feels important. And somewhere in the middle of all of it, a quiet thought starts to settle in…...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
If you could design your perfect day, what would it look like? Maybe it starts with getting up early for some quiet time with God. And then everyone gets dressed without an argument. You feed your family something healthy, keep the house reasonably clean, and even answer the emails you've been ignoring (all without losing your patience!). You have enough time for your marriage, your kids, your health, your ministry, and that very thing you've been wanting to start. Basically, everything goes...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Have you ever woken up early, determined to spend a few quiet minutes in God's Word before the chaos starts, only to spend the next hour breaking up a fight over the iPad, cleaning spilled cereal off the floor, and hunting down a shoe you specifically asked to be put away yesterday? By 9am you already feel like you've failed. Not because of one big thing, but because of the quiet, running tally you keep all day. The Bible reading you skipped. The moment you snapped at your kids. The way you...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Right now, I'm deep in back-to-school mode. Buying school supplies. Making sure the kids have haircuts, gym shoes, and clothes that fit. Scheduling doctor's appointments, fall extracurriculars, and volunteer opportunities... In just a few weeks, my daily schedule will look radically different than it does now. Everyone will wake up and go to bed MUCH earlier. The house will be quieter (which sounds nice!), BUT it's because I won't have my big helpers around to help watch the toddler while I...
2 months ago • 1 min read
How many times have you started a new Bible reading plan, fully determined that this time will be different? You get the fresh journal. You pick the perfect plan. You tell yourself you mean it this time. And then life happens. The kids need breakfast. The laundry needs folded. Your phone won't stop buzzing. You have nothing thawed for dinner and somehow it's already 4:00. So you miss a day. Then two. And before you know it, you can't even remember the last time you sat down and opened your...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Does it ever feel like you barely have five minutes to spend in God's Word, let alone the hour you'd need to really dig into a passage? If so, the NLT Every Woman's Bible from today's email sponsor, Tyndale, might be just what you're looking for. This gorgeous study Bible includes rich devotional and study resources written by more than one hundred women from all around the world. In these pages, you'll explore the heartfelt needs, gritty challenges, and uncommon faithfulness of women...
3 months ago • 2 min read
