by Jess Connell · April 25, 2016 Discount grocery stores— this is currently my top budget-slicing method. At Costco, one basket costs us about $300-400. At my discount grocery stores last week, I got 3 basketfuls of groceries for just over $150. It takes creativity, and a little more time (we went to 2 stores, 45 […]

One of my favorite passages in C.S. Lewis’ fiction is from his book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. For background, Eustace is a wretched, spoiled boy who constantly complains and makes life miserable for himself and everyone else. He’s unexpectedly come to Narnia with his cousins Edmund and Lucy. The ship they’re on visits several islands, and […]

Yay, it’s August! Nearly time for a new school year to begin!! We’re actually going into our tenth year of homeschooling… which is crazy! In January of 2007, we began curling up together, Ethan and I, with Sonlight books. We discovered the world together through books like Twenty and Ten (WWII– Nazis, rations, resistance), Understood Betsy (farm life, lifelong learning), A Grain of […]

by Jess Connell · July 13, 2015 I’ve been a Pastor’s wife for three and a half years. The first two of those years, my husband was an administrative pastor, which was a very different thing from the counseling and discipleship pastoral role he has now. It’s not been very long, really, but it’s been long enough to […]

by Jess Connell · February 17, 2016 {Today’s post is a follow-up from Monday’s– Christian Wife, Let Your Husband Be.— where a reader asked, “Beyond having a joyful attitude towards love making and keeping the home a happy sanctuary for him, what are more specifics things wives can do? I know every husband will have […]

by Jess Connell · June 24, 2015 On a post last year about the growing expectations on young woman to look physically perfect (and increasingly generic), a commenter wrote: Quick thought from a guy – Know what really hurts? When a girl spends a mountain of care and attention trying to win over exciting but […]

by Jess Connell · July 13, 2015 I’ve been a Pastor’s wife for three and a half years. The first two of those years, my husband was an administrative pastor, which was a very different thing from the counseling and discipleship pastoral role he has now. It’s not been very long, really, but it’s been long enough to […]

by Jess Connell · June 24, 2015 On a post last year about the growing expectations on young woman to look physically perfect (and increasingly generic), a commenter wrote: Quick thought from a guy – Know what really hurts? When a girl spends a mountain of care and attention trying to win over exciting but […]

by Jess Connell · June 24, 2015 On a post last year about the growing expectations on young woman to look physically perfect (and increasingly generic), a commenter wrote: Quick thought from a guy – Know what really hurts? When a girl spends a mountain of care and attention trying to win over exciting but […]

Well. I’ve been quiet for a couple weeks. And the truth is, I have things to say. I’ve got more to say than I’ve been letting on, and I’ve been listening too much to the gurus who give tips on how to write clickable headlines and how to curate your own message and why to […]

by Jess Connell · February 6, 2015 Well, today’s the due date. THE due date. The DUE date. But Luke is still inside, sticking his knobby knees out in alien movements that I feel with gasp-inducing clarity, and prying his little feet up into my ribs. And I can’t wait to meet him. Here’s one […]

Well. I’ve been quiet for a couple weeks. And the truth is, I have things to say. I’ve got more to say than I’ve been letting on, and I’ve been listening too much to the gurus who give tips on how to write clickable headlines and how to curate your own message and why to […]

by Jess Connell · February 17, 2016 {Today’s post is a follow-up from Monday’s– Christian Wife, Let Your Husband Be.— where a reader asked, “Beyond having a joyful attitude towards love making and keeping the home a happy sanctuary for him, what are more specifics things wives can do? I know every husband will have […]

by Jess Connell · April 10, 2015 Last week, after an afternoon where I took 30 minutes out to play and be silly with my kiddos on the trampoline, my 8 year old daughter said: “Mama! I’m so glad you’re back…”  I smiled, thinking I knew what she meant, but asked to be sure. She answered, “it’s […]