Q: When you suddenly notice arguing, general strife that is seemingly NOT momentary…..what do you first address in the home? I am feeling frustrated because it seems sort of sudden and not just one or two kids. I have been very tired and struggling to buck up…so maybe my attitude is part of it. I […]

Lots of things can be overwhelming to us as moms. Things like Messes, attitudes, sickness, a busy schedule, and/or sudden changes in our routines can push us past the norms of stress we’re used to, into a zone where we can feel like we might teeter over the edge into insanity. On this particular day, I […]

“Older women are to be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine. They are to teach what is good, so they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, kind, and submissive to their husbands, so that God’s message will […]

“He struck me as a normal person, that was the horrible thing about it. He was cool, objective, matter of fact. ‘This is my war duty. I did my war duty.’ It was like I had to go out and cut down so many trees. So I went out and took my saw and cut […]

Surely we all feel it! Lockdowns & increasing rules Division, even among groups that normally agree Spiritual leaders exposed as fraudulent and abusive Global economy in crisis Uyghur concentration camps (and no one acting for their justice!) Medical/health battles Increasing isolation Depression, mental health, suicides increasing Rampant domestic violence, divorce, and child abuse Geopolitical strife […]

Since October is my birthday month, let’s talk about birthday depression. Last year, I (seriously) typed in, “why am I sad even though it’s my birthday?” to Google. Yup, I typed in that phrase. It wasn’t much help, except to say, apparently, this is a thing. Some people get sad, instead of happy, on their birthdays. There… […]

It’s a popular thing to say. It sounds self-deprecating and humble and cutesy and modern. “He’s a better mom than I am.” Sometimes it’s accompanied by an explanation, like “my husband: is more organized makes Bento-box lunches plays in the floor with them is less neurotic about cleanliness cleans better is more fun knows more about […]

“The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days; while she who lets their habits take care of themselves has a weary life of endless friction with the children.”   ~Charlotte Mason Dear Mom of young children, Do you realize the incredible power you have… […]

As I grow in my understanding of the Gospel, and see my own weakness, this was a declaration/confession for me, recorded (and then forgotten, oops!) a little over 2 years ago. I want to be a mom with a Gospel-shaped posture toward life. Recorded: March 2017, after baby #8

“I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is My command: Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:11-12)  Driving down the highway, I voiced my frustrations to the Lord about a friend. I listed out criticisms and hurts, […]

Sometimes it happens to us (postpartum depression), and sometimes we do it to ourselves (unrealistic/high expectations), but no matter what, postpartum is a challenging time! Let’s discuss: what practical things can we do to make it better?  Listen as Jess talks with Mandi Ehman (work at home mom of 6), about setting realistic postpartum expectations identifying areas and […]

Sometimes when people long for the good old days, they’re remembering something that didn’t exist, fabricating entirely, or even just wistfully only recalling the good (but forgetting the accompanying bad). But when it comes to the way children behave toward their parents and toward adults nowadays, there really is a significant differencebetween what the average mom puts […]

NON-FICTION RISK: SAY IT Say the things– write the things– that you are afraid to say. I recently shared about my fear of, “Who would ever want to buy my book?” And earlier this week, I confessed not just a past sin that I’ve conquered (which would feel safer) but a current area where God is… […]

Young woman, I am so sorry. The world you are growing up in WILL, if you let it:  strip away your God-given unique beauty (and yes, I am including the freckles, big feet, hook nose, birthmark, broad shoulders, etc… in those words, “unique beauty”). teach you to perpetually alter your posture or camera angle so that anything…