This is a guest post, written by my mom, Debbie. As we are currently preparing for a cross-country move, away from my parents, my husband’s mom, & much of our extended family, she had some thoughts she wanted to share. Visit her new website: TheButtonWoman.com. ************************************* Many of my friends and loved ones have commented […]

by Jess Connell · July 25, 2015 Done this last month: Culled our library, pulling out books for a garage sale, and for some upcoming giveaways. Worked with a young friend to clean out and organize my craft closet. Finished a writing job. I’m so thankful to be able to work on Bible studies as a side […]

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 · 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 […]

1. THEY ARE PRECIOUS AS BABIES. PRECIOUS!!! We built a pen out of the cardboard box from a deck box. We taped it to the floor in a trapezoidal shape so they wouldn’t have any 90-degree corners to run into (and get suffocated by the others, which apparently can sometimes be a problem with small […]

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 […]

Wanna know what one thing has made the difference in becoming a better mother to my children? I made this 4-minute video to tell the answer to that question, and why I write at jessconnell.com. One of the lies moms have been fed in this past decade or so is that “you’re the expert” and that “you innately possess all the mothering […]

{Note: This article has been updated from its original publishing in Dec. 2008.} Today I want to share the ethos behind some big choices of my life. I’ve lived as an at-home-on-purpose mom for the last 13+ years of my life because I believe this simple truth: as a mom of young children, the best place for me to be […]

Q: Any advice on consequences for the older kids? I’m having trouble coming up with ones that actually work. For example, when a task is asked of them and they stall/dawdle? Or schoolwork isn’t completed thoroughly? Taking away privileges doesn’t seem to work, adding more work doesn’t either. A: I like ideas that drive home the “cost” of […]

by Jess Connell · November 30, 2015 A young friend of mine, going through her first pregnancy, asked on Facebook for ten newborn tips. And since I try to use all my writing from other places, I figured I’d share my advice to her with you. Here are my top 10 newborn tips: Stay in bed for […]

This is a guest post, written by my mom, Debbie. As we are currently preparing for a cross-country move, away from my parents, my husband’s mom, & much of our extended family, she had some thoughts she wanted to share. Visit her new website: TheButtonWoman.com. ************************************* Many of my friends and loved ones have commented […]

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 · 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 · November 16, 2015 I recently asked over 1,000 women: “What things keep you from getting the soul and body rest you know you need?” Here’s a selection of the answers: Laundry, dirty bottles, teething babies and an injured hubby.  I constantly put high expectations on myself and convince myself that I […]