I’ve never been a particularly disciplined person. People who know me well, saw my room when I was growing up, or who have ever seen the dishes stacked in my kitchen, are probably snickering right now. In fact, quite the opposite. I typically fly by the seat of my pants, procrastinate, and mostly do what I… […]
Women – Jess Connell
Ever wondered– What does the Bible say about women? I thought it would be helpful for us to see how women are described in the Bible, positively and negatively, as we strive to be godly women. This is a fairly exhaustive study of the word “woman” in the Bible, with all of its uses and descriptions (from… […]
“I Want to Grow As a Christian Woman” – Jess Connell
Is this you? Are you looking for ways to grow as a disciple? Perhaps you have been a follower of Jesus for a long time, but are looking for fresh ideas, or ways to revitalize your Christian walk? Or maybe you’re a new believer and want to grow more like the Lord? I’m by no means […]
Q&A: Is Being a Stay-at-Home-Mom BORING? – Jess Connell
Q: How do I keep busy at home? I find myself so terribly bored and restless at times. Being a stay at home mom is so boring! What am I supposed to do with my down time? Once chores and homeschooling are done for the day, I literally have no idea how to fill the couple of hours before I need […]
Jess Connell – growing heavenward, by grace – Page 2
Two springs ago, we were in Georgia on a road trip, and our van needed attention. Doug and Mae went into town with the van, and I spent the day with 7 of our sons on the approach trail to the Appalachian Trail. We had hiked a steep two miles uphill to see Amicalola Falls… […]
An Excellent Wife (Proverbs 31:10-12, 23) – Jess Connell
An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. … Her husband is known in the gates when he sits […]
transparency – Jess Connell
I’ve always thought of myself as pretty brave. Whether that’s true or not I don’t know but I looked to the externals and deemed it so: moving around the world, multiple times, as a growing family keeping having babies even though it HURTS (!!!) every time, and makes life harder quitting my dream job and moving to… […]
The Lie You’re Telling Yourself About Time – Jess Connell
Pastor Matt Chandler says, “I would contend, no one has lied to you more than you have.” One of the biggest lies I think we tell ourselves, is, “I don’t have time for that.” We haul this whopper out whenever we hit something that we know would be beneficial but we aren’t actually doing it. […]
kissing – Jess Connell
The morning began like any other: snuggles, breakfast, coffee, schoolwork, chores. Mid-morning, my son was reviewing his list of words for the day, which focused on the short “i” sound. After reading each word, I asked him to use it in a sentence to make sure he was connecting the sounded-out letters with real-world meanings. He got to the…
7 Ways to Stop Being a “Mommy Martyr” – Jess Connell
In Part 1, we asked the question- “Are You A ‘Mommy Martyr?’” That article gives a fleshing out of what it looks like to take on the identity of a ‘mommy martyr’ as well as some of the ways it affects our lives. Today (in Part 2), I want to look at 7 ways we […]
What Do You Give Up, In Order to Homeschool? – Jess Connell
A friend recently asked this question: What do you give up, in order to homeschool? Yes, we GAIN a lot in return… but every homeschooling family weighs difficult choices, and makes real sacrifices, in order to make it happen. So what do you give up to make it happen in your home? Here’s my answer: A […]
How I’m Fighting 3 Fears, Right Now – Jess Connell
I’ve always thought of myself as pretty brave. Whether that’s true or not I don’t know but I looked to the externals and deemed it so: moving around the world, multiple times, as a growing family keeping having babies even though it HURTS (!!!) every time, and makes life harder quitting my dream job and moving to […]
church life – Jess Connell
Last fall, I unexpectedly encountered someone I haven’t seen in decades. Mercifully, it was in a crowded setting where we did not have to interact, and I don’t think he ever saw me. I didn’t even recognize him at first. But when I was young and impressionable, that person-across-the-way deeply impacted my life through manipulative… […]
I Can’t See Downriver – Jess Connell
One of the last things our son wanted to do as a family, before leaving for bootcamp, was watch Master and Commander. I’m not generally a fan of Russell Crowe, but that movie is phenomenal. Many times over, it’s clear: it’s not human cunning, nor the battle plan, but providence, that guides one’s path along […]
