Favorite Families

two kids running and playing in the grass

12 Tips for Getting Your Kids to Play on Their Own

in Parenting, Podcast on

Between working from home, keeping everyone fed, and trying to prevent my house from looking like a tornado hit it every day (still happens most days), entertaining my kids on top of all that usually feels impossible. But guess what? Did you know that one of the most important and effective ways to raise creative kids is simply letting them… View Post

young woman staring into a field of red and white flowers

3 Steps to Reclaim Your Peace

in Mom Life on

This week marks the one year anniversary of the last “normal” thing I did before the world shut down as I knew it. One year ago this past weekend, I had the honor of speaking at a women’s event in West Virginia. It was such a great time of connecting….there were literally hundreds of us women packed together in a… View Post

smiling family of 3 on vacation

5 Creative Ways to Vacation During a Pandemic

in Family Culture on

Traveling is such a great way to build a shared family history, teach your kids valuable skills, and also remind yourself of the beauty of the world around you. But…how do you “travel” during a year like this one, where there are so many restrictions, so many cancellations and you may not even feel safe taking a normal vacation? Great… View Post

mom snuggling son and reading to him

3 Simple Steps To Help Your Child With Anxiety

in Parenting on

How do you help your child when they’re struggling with anxiety? Do you make friends with the monster in the closet or pretend he doesn’t exist? It’s so hard to see our kids feeling afraid or anxious, so we often try to find a quick fix — a bandaid approach to our child’s anxiety. We say things like “Don’t be… View Post

family of 4 smiling at each other in the snow

7 Simple Ways to Shape Your Family Culture

in Family Culture on

It’s easy to dream up big goals and create expectations for your family life at the beginning of a new year….and I love that! But then usually kids start back to school, work starts back up again, and there’s quickly a whole lot to do that can get you off track. Instead of focusing on your family’s to-do list this… View Post

statue of the virgin mary snuggling baby Jesus

Created to Carry: 6 Compelling Truths from Jesus’ Mom

in Mom Life, Podcast on

Mary was the perfect mom, right? It’s easy to put Mary on a pedestal…this fabulous virgin, chosen by God for the most important role in the history of the world… But what if she was actually just a young woman…humble, imperfect, scared, and wondering how she could measure up? I spent 13 years serving as a pastor at a church… View Post