Dear parent who made a mistake, There’s been something on my mind lately that I’d like to share with you. I don’t know how “big” or “small” the mistake was. I don’t know how deep the roots go on the issue. We could be...
Has the “anger monster” ever shown up at your house? Do you sometimes find that frustration causes you to blow up? And afterward do you struggle with the guilt that often follows that anger? If so, I want you to know that you are not alone and today’s episode is going...
I remember sitting in the church nursery nursing my firstborn. Another mom and I were visiting as we rocked and nursed our little ones. “Are you praying for her future spouse?” the other mom asked me. I was surprised by her question. I had never thought to...
When my husband and I moved away from our hometown, my parents worried that their relationship with my kids wouldn’t be what they imagined. However, my parents did a fabulous job of staying connected to their grandkids despite the distance. Today we’re going to...
Dear Jill: Our adult daughter has chosen to walk away from the faith she was raised in and all that we taught her. She’s also come out as gay. I have grieved deeply, lost much of myself along the way, and find myself struggling to know how to connect with my daughter....
Your kids are spreading their wings and starting to head out on their own… Are you ready? Do you struggle to know how to parent teens at home and young adults away from home at the same time? Is it a challenge to find a good balance between boundaries and...
Dear Jill, My daughter is heading off to her freshman year of college. There’s no doubt she’s going to do well. However, it’s me who’s a mess. She and I are very close and the loss is tangible for me. I’ve ordered your Empty Nest Full...
Have you ever met someone and felt like you could talk for hours and hours, and especially if you lived closer, would be great friends? Well, that’s what I experienced in this conversation I had with Maggie Graham, a homeschooling mom of 11 children that today range...
A couple weeks back, Mark and I hosted our second annual Cousin’s Camp. I shared about it over on Instagram, and had so many people reach out interested in learning how to plan their own for their grandkids! I grew up around my grandparents and spent time with...
I’m really excited for the episode I have to share with you today! One of the things I enjoy the most is the opportunities I get to speak at live events. I so enjoy hanging with the people that I love to encourage – and that’s you! So today’s episode is a...
Do you have boys? I have three. I have two girls and three boys, and I will tell you that raising boys is definitely different than raising girls. Have you struggled to relate to your sons? Is it difficult to know what to do with their “rough house” energy? If you’ve...
“We cannot avoid pain, but we can avoid joy. Our inward joy does not have to reflect our outward circumstances. The pursuit of joy is a matter of choice.” – Mary Southerland I recently shared that quote on Facebook and had someone reply, “But...
“This is what it comes down to: Do we trust Him?” I love that quote from today’s conversation. Have you experienced worry, anxiety, or fear in this last year? Are those things taking up entirely too much space in your heart? For most of us, the...
This blog post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here. Did you know that in 2017, the world’s most popular porn website had 80 million daily visits? Did you know 90% of teens and 96% of young adults are either encouraging, accepting, or neutral...
It’s vacation season, isn’t it? My feed has been full of ocean pictures and sandy beaches lately! And while all that ocean scenery is beautiful, can you imagine if you built your family a house right on the beach? Not along the beach, but right on the sand itself. ...
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