The mundane matters in motherhood

The mundane matters in motherhood

In the Gospel of John, there’s a story about a large crowd following Jesus that becomes hungry (hey moms, sound familiar?). A boy appears with two…


Chaos, Community, and Christ

Chaos, Community, and Christ

It’s Sunday night. The ice arena where my ninth grade daughter, Evelyn, spends four days per week feels extra cold tonight. I calculate how much of…


Raising kids who do the dishes…without being asked

Raising kids who do the dishes…without being asked

Wait. Did you read that title correctly? Is this simple little blog post actually going to give you a step-by-step formula for getting your kids to…


Teaching kids to love their neighbor

Teaching kids to love their neighbor

In the middle of a blizzard, our family loaded up a moving truck and relocated to a new home in a new neighborhood in a new city. Bundled in puffy…


Why new dads should go on a post-partum diet

Why new dads should go on a post-partum diet

If there’s one four-letter word I can’t stand, it’s the one heard most often in January: diet. Maybe I should blame it on being raised as a Baptist.…


The two nonnegotiables in our house

The two nonnegotiables in our house

Key Verse: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34 NIV). I’m the middle kiddo of…


Praying for wisdom in raising our children

Praying for wisdom in raising our children

As I sit here surrounded by the sweet innocent laughter of my children, I’m reminded that there are times in life when all seems right with the…


Grace based parenting

Grace based parenting

When I write about grace based parenting, I'm not referring to the book by Dr. Tim Kimmel, or any parenting books for that matter. Grace based…


Connecting to your child’s heart

We were having a few friends over in the afternoon, and I had prepared a tray full of matching teacups, a crystal dish of sugar, and an array of…