When my oldest daughter was asked to her first high school dance, she was excited at the prospect of dressing up, going to dinner, and then attending the dance itself. Of course, one of the first things we did was shop for a dress. Financially, the journey to find...
I signed up to bring my friend Amanda a meal after the birth of her twins. It was a busy season for me, but I rationalized that I had to cook for my family anyway, so I’d just double it and cook for hers, too, on Wednesday. I’d fed my Hamburger Helper and...
This article was first published in 2002 when my youngest entered kindergarten (and before we adopted child #5!). But it’s still pertinent today for many moms. I was reminded of that after receiving two emails from readers this past week who were struggling with this...
My youngest daughter, Erica, is a just a year into her mothering experience. She’s an at-home mom trying to find her way into new friendships with other moms. The other day she was at a park where she struck up a conversation with another mom. They enjoyed a...
We all do it. We compare our insides to other people’s outsides. We size ourselves up to other people and we either come out looking better than they do or we come out looking worse than they do. Our insecurities drive this unfair kind of comparison and the...
Today’s post is a sneak peek from the next Hearts at Home book No More Perfect Kids that will be released in March 2014. Dr. Kathy Koch and I have been working hard to provide a practical resource that equips parents to lead their children well and empowers...
I heard a quote the other day that caught my attention. It was simply this: The most radical thing you can do today is to be present. That hit home! I realized that my kids can walk in the door, say “hi,” and I say “hi” back without so much as turning my head. The...
Dear Jill, Tonight I’m writing to you asking some advice, wisdom, and maybe some strength and encouragement sent my way. We are moving our oldest daughter to college and seriously I am kinda doing the “happy dance” tonight! Awful as it may sound,...
A couple of weeks ago, I shared a blog post on my Facebook page that I had read about reaching out to a stranger who is hurting. It was a short, but powerful message you can read here if you’d like. A mom, Rebecca, shared her own story of being helped by a...
Today’s guest post is from Susan Merrill, a mom of five who serves as the Director of iMom. Susan is a speaker at our 2013 Hearts at Home conferences. Her new book The Passionate Mom is a refreshing word of encouragement for moms!...
Seven years ago, Hearts at Home made a decision to partner with the Compassion, International child sponsorship organization. We wanted to give Hearts at Home moms an opportunity to teach their children about other parts of the world. We also wanted to give Hearts...
“Mom, did you hear about the bus accident in Indianapolis? The youth pastor and his wife were killed and another mom on the bus also died,” my daughter Anne said to me when we met for dinner. Yes, I had heard. I had already shed tears. My heart was still...
Today’s guest post is by Marianne Miller. Marianne was a speaker at our 2012 Hearts at Home conferences and our 2014 Hearts at Home International events. She and her husband Andy live in Indianapolis where they are raising their three sons with a lot of grace...
On Tuesday Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, gave birth to an 8lb 6oz baby boy. She may be royalty, but you and I both know, there’s nothing royal about having a baby. Think about this bloggy-world girlfriends who have given birth, you know what’s...
I’m excited to share with you that I’m pregnant…with another book! Ha! That caught your eye, didn’t it! (My parents are probably picking themselves up off the ground. Breathe in…breathe out mom and dad. It’s another BOOK! I’m...
