This question recently came in: I was thinking about what you spoke about [in this podcast episode, called “Lean In & Learn from Other Women”] and the thing that stuck out most to me was how you learn most by living life with others. While I completely agree, I am stuck wondering HOW to make… […]
blogger – Jess Connell
The question comes from time to time: How can I have a successful blog while raising little ones? And here’s my honest answer. It may not be a popular one, but it is my real, honest, from-my-heart answer. BLOGGING WHEN YOU HAVE LITTLE ONES When I had all/only littles, I wrote only when I had…
What Moves Us From Fear to Faith? – Jess Connell
I still remember those mornings laying in bed, paralyzed with fear, staring at the creaks coming from the ceiling over my head. We’d just purchased a 30-year-old home in the country, and my husband left for work by five each morning. The attic creaks had me “convinced” (though I would regularly rationalize myself back into reality) that […]
Scripture – Jess Connell
Parenting can be such a challenge. Sin outside our home… sin inside our hearts… the stresses and strains of life in a family… These things swirl together and threaten to knock us off-kilter. As my husband and I go about life with our seven children (currently, ages 13, 11, 9, 7, 5, 2, and 7 months),… […]
Do Your Kids Recognize Your Authority? – Jess Connell
Elizabeth Krueger, mother of 10, and author of Raising Godly Tomatoes, is also a horse owner. She recently shared some great thoughts about training horses to recognize a rightful authority and how it can be similar with children. I thought Elizabeth’s observations were extremely insightful and she graciously agreed to let me share them here: I […]
remember God's faithfulness – Jess Connell
I’m so excited about the Bible study curriculum we’re using this year. Well. OK, in order for it to be true, I have to take out a few words from that first sentence. It should read: I’m so excited about the Bible this year. There, that’s better. Because this year, our “curriculum” is very simple. It’s not really a curriculum… […]
social media – Jess Connell
Some time last year, I did a week-long purposeful fast from everything online (except for e-mail), and as I went through the week, I wrote down the things I was noticing. Recently I found that list and thought I’d share it with you. Here’s what I noticed: Almost instantaneously: I’m alone with my thoughts again. I’m able… […]
teens – Jess Connell
Q: I am totally struggling with my oldest… One thing that I’m having trouble with is knowing how to discuss things with him. He still struggles with basic obedience, so that is an issue. Also, he tends to argue with me while we are talking. For example, this morning I told him that something he… […]
feelings – Jess Connell
How can we avoid letting feelings rule our lives? 3 minutes of encouragement on that, after having a feelings-heavy day, yesterday: https://youtu.be/It4vOJ-t5XA As always, let me know what YOU have to say, in the comments. 🙂
training – Jess Connell
Here’s 4-minutes of my off-the-cuff thoughts about training our kids’ quirkiness. SOME HIGHLIGHTS: 00:25– “it’s just an annoying habit; should we train for it or not?” 01:00– example from my real life, yesterday, with my two-year-old 02:00– encouragement from Gregg Harris 02:45– why this is extra-important to me as a homeschooling mom 03:00– how I… […]
loving our husbands – Jess Connell
{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 different things that are life-giving to him,… […]
appearance – Jess Connell
Christian woman, you may not even realize it, but are you pornifying our culture? Perhaps you say “no”– “I hate even the idea of porn!” “I don’t invite men to look at me with lust.” “I would never do that!” BUT– TAKE A FIELD TRIP THROUGH YOUR PHOTOS Go right now to the photos you have publicly posted… […]
tone of voice – Jess Connell
Q: “My son (13 almost 14) often has a scowl on his face for no reason. I assume he is grump mode. I could be talking, reading scripture, or just driving with him. I ask “What’s wrong?” or say “Why are you having attitude?” Then he lashes out “Uh! MOM!….” I am likely to blame…
mother – Jess Connell
Sometimes we blame our anger on circumstances (“it annoyed me that he kept doing x”), people (“she just gets under my skin,” or “our personalities just clash”), and sometimes–perhaps more rare– we own it all ourselves (“I’ve got an anger problem.”) However, I think there’s one thing that is nearly universal in the way it… […]