Category: Mama

Faith/

Learning to Speak Life

As parents, we teach our kids to treat others how they want to be treated. We teach them to speak kindly to others. We teach them to make good choices. However, we often forget the greatest teaching comes from modeling the behavior.

We know the power of words. Words can build up and encourage or tear down and destroy. Unfortunately, as parents, we often become passive with our words or forget the weight of the power in them. Everything we say and how we say it becomes a part of how our children speak to themselves. This then affects how they view themselves as a person. It also dictates how they treat others.

We need to be sure we are practicing what we teach to our children. Our focus should be on building up our kids with our words instead of tearing them down. Although it is often unintentional, we can easily misuse the power of our words. Being the disciplinarians, we can forget there is more to parenting than just pointing out the mistakes and where they are going wrong.  

Speak life into your children by reminding them who they are to you. Let them know how much of a gift they are to you. Share scriptures or prayers with them that you have prayed for them. Tell them you love them. Show them you are proud of them by using encouragement in areas of their passions. Even if it’s just a coloring page for your budding artist, give them praise for their hard work.

Say positive affirmations over them each morning. Tell them to repeat them aloud. Create a special time for this in your morning routine. For example, use I am statements that your child can repeat to you; I am capable; I am intelligent, etc.…

Remind your child they were created on purpose for a purpose. Encourage their identity in Christ. Use scripture to back those affirmations up. Use those scriptures to pray over your child and you could even memorize them together. For example, the affirmation could be, “I have a purpose and God has a plan”. The scripture to back that up would be Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)

By speaking life over and into our children, we can break unhealthy family cycles. We can build strong family bonds while encouraging confident and fulfilled children to spread kindness into the world.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

www.MeganWurzelbacher.com

https://www.facebook.com/meganmwurzelbacher

Faith/

5 Strategies to Make the Most of Your Time With Your Kids

When we are in the thick of motherhood, we often find ourselves counting down the hours until bedtime. Motherhood is just as equally rewarding as it is exhausting. As a mom to four children ages 5 to 12, I can totally relate. As we have entered this new season of parenting older kids instead of babies and toddlers, I can see just how fast time passes by. I no longer have little ones to rock to sleep at night. Nightly bath time routines have changed to kids taking showers with no help needed.

This new stage of parenting has been fun and rewarding in different ways. It has shown me just how important it is to soak in every moment we have with our kids. To be intentional in our time, we have discovered we need to focus on making good memories in all we do. Here are 5 strategies to make the most of your time together.

  • 1. Keep time in perspective.

It is so easy to be caught up in feeling like the days are so incredibly long. But when we look back, we can see just how fast the years slip by. To keep time in perspective, create a legacy jar. We only have 936 weeks with our children from birth to 18 years old. From the birth of your child, fill a jar with 936 marbles and each week you remove a marble. As each week passes and the marbles diminish, you will see just how quickly time is passing by. When we have a visual representation of time, we can see just how little we have.

  • 2. Pick a lane.

Where are you going to focus your time as a family? You could choose to focus on school, sports, church, friends, extended family, nuclear family, or any combination of those things. We chose to focus on the six of us in our home and church. That means if we haven’t spent quality time as family during the week due to work or other obligations, we will spend the weekend with just the six of us. This means saying no to attending other events such as birthday parties or getting together with friends. 

  • 3. Set up a date night with each child.

Make sure mom and dad are individually taking each kid on a special date night or even to just run errands together. A mom and son trip to get ice cream, just the two of you. Dad and daughter run to the grocery together but stop for a special treat from the candy store on their own.

  • 4. Family fun night.

One night a week, maybe Friday, create a family fun night. Let the kids submit ideas of what that looks like for your family. Put it on the calendar and stay consistent. Play board games, watch a movie, have a s’mores night around the fire, have a dance party, anything that will engage the whole family. Put the phones away and focus on each other.

  • 5. Say no, less.

As a control-freak myself, I often find myself saying no to my kids’ request just because it was not part of my plan. I have to make an effort to say no, less. If the kids ask for a fun snack instead of grabbing something quick say yes. If the kids want to have extra play time, say yes and join them. Then watch their faces light up!

What strategies has your family implemented to make the most of your time together?

Faith/

The Journey to You Are

This week in our She Perseveres group, we are going to start talking about our identity. In 2018, I published a short devotional sharing my journey; You Are- Trusting God to Define Who You are. So I wanted to just share a brief glimpse into how that came about.

Just a few years prior to writing my book, I had found myself struggling with my role of wife, mommy to three little ones all under the age of 5, employee, and student. Unbeknownst to me, God was going to use this tough season to teach me some valuable and life-changing lessons.

I was working outside of the full time in a law office. I worked 8-12 in the office and then I would go pick up my three littles, go home and work from home 2-6. I was also homeschooling my oldest, who was in kindergarten. I was a brand new homeschool mom who never imagined that would be part of my journey. I was in graduate school full time. Yet I still felt like I just wasn’t doing enough. I was exhausted. My husband was working 2 and sometimes 3 jobs at a time during that season of our lives. We neglected our marriage, and it showed.

I felt like I couldn’t do enough at work to be the best at what I was doing. I felt like I should be working in a better career to make more money to help support our family. I felt like I was overqualified for my job. I felt like I wasn’t spending enough time with our kids when I was in the office or on the computer either working or working on my schoolwork. I felt like I could be doing so much more for homeschooling our oldest. I felt like he needed to try all the sports and activities so he could branch out and make friends. So we were spending some evenings at practices and games. I felt like my husband, Jason, and I barely engaged in simple conversation most days. Date nights were non-existent. Quiet time to just sit and talk as a couple was non-existent. Alone time for just me, non-existent. I was drowning, completely overwhelmed, physically touched out from little ones, and felt completely inadequate and guilty for it all.  

“I, like so many others, let the things others said to me, about me, and the experiences I had decipher who I believed I was at a young age. I felt inadequate, unpopular, unloved, alone, unworthy, and devalued”.

-Megan Wurzelbacher, You Are- Trusting God to Define Who You Are

I remember our church was hosting a women’s conference. We were still pretty new at the church and I didn’t know a single person. I knew no matter how awkward I felt; I was going to that conference. I saw it as an opportunity to take a break. Just for me. To get out of the house alone. I went all alone. I sat with complete strangers. I sat, and I listened to the woman on the stage speaking. It was like she had completely read my mind. Every word about how we often feel like we can’t measure up. How we feel like we can’t possibly be the best mommy for our babies. How we feel like we can’t balance it all. How we feel like we are letting at least someone down at all times. How we feel like will never be enough. How we feel like we are completely inadequate. So we stop. We stop trying. We stop showing up. We stop believing in who we are. We stop trusting in who God is. We stop and let the overwhelming feelings consume us. We stop and let the enemy’s lies hold us back.

That day, I so clearly knew God was calling me to share my journey with other women. He was calling me to share the real struggles. Because for the first time, I realized I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t the only woman struggling with these feelings. To stop hiding everything I was holding in. To open up and share what I was feeling like. To let my husband know why I was feeling so disconnected and touched out. To stop focusing on my success in a career when I should be focusing on the ministry within the four walls of my home. I knew I was supposed to be homeschooling and only focusing on that. Not on building a successful counseling career or going to law school like I had planned for the next step. I knew he had called me to minister to other women by being open about my journey and struggles. I just didn’t know how that was going to happen, what it would look like, or when it would start.

That year, I dived into scripture more than I ever had in my entire life. I did every bible study possible. Read every book about women’s bible study I could. I spent every free moment I had reading my Bible. If Jason or the kids were watching TV, I would get my Bible out to read. If the kids were napping, I would get my Bible out and read. If the kids were playing dress up and the laundry and dishes were piled up, I read my Bible. I had never felt so close to God up to the point of my relationship with Him.

A few months later, I lost my job. We had no idea how we were going to make it without my income. Then, God. An opportunity came up at Jason’s job for a promotion that required traveling. We sold our house and spent the next 5 years traveling on the road with him full time. It was during that time when God called me to write a devotional, sharing a glimpse of my journey for other women and specifically busy moms. The part of my journey he wanted to share was what I had come to realize was what affected every aspect of my life and every choice I had made up to that point: my identity. I had learned so much in the 3 years after that women’s conference about my true identity that it was time to share.

As seasons have changed, careers have changed, states have changed, and my relationship with God has continued to flourish, I have learned even more about my identity and the identity of Christian women. Now as I enter yet another season of life, God has called me back to something he stirred in my heart over 8 years ago, to coach women by starting with reminding them of who they are because of whose they are. I hope you will join me on this journey!

Faith/

Differently

Talking with the kids this morning and just feeling so incredibly thankful for a decision Jason and I made years ago.
A decision to do things differently.
Differently from everyone we know.
We decided our family would focus on God first and then us, what we call the Special Six.
We decided our marriage would be a priority above all other personal relationships, including our kids.
We decided love is a choice and one that we will continue to make, even when things get hard.
We decided to recognize life is short and every moment counts. Letting go of the small and petty things truly makes a difference. Always make good memories.
We decided we would talk to our kids in an age-appropriate manner without sugarcoating things or making them feel less than for being kids.
We decided the financial and career sacrifices of homeschooling compared to the extra 17,280 hours we get with our children are worth it.
We decided we would openly communicate with our kids about any and everything. No matter how awkward those conversations may be. No matter how small or how big the issue is, we will talk about it all.
We decided to keep our children safe by removing ourselves from situations and people we used to enjoy spending time with.
We decided to teach our children body safety, including the real names of all body parts. We placed rules in their lives to break generational abuse cycles. Even if that means the loss of family relationships. Even if they tell someone close to them, they don’t want a hug. We teach them that’s their choice and to do what makes them comfortable.
We decided to allow and encourage our children to speak about what is on their minds with us, with kids, and with other adults.
We decided to be the same people both in and outside of the home, always keeping it real.
We decided to teach them God’s word and what faith is, but more importantly, show them based on our own actions.
We decided to always be honest with our children and each other about everything.
We decided to create healthy boundaries within our own lives as well as our children’s lives.
We decided to do things differently regardless of how that makes others feel.
We decided to do things differently regardless of the opinions of others.
We decided to do things differently regardless of others’ dislike for our unconventional decisions.
We decided to do things differently regardless of the loss of relationships.
We decided to do things differently regardless of the lack of understanding from others.
We decided to be a healthy, loving, family that is focused on God and each other above all others.
Today I am so incredibly thankful that we decided.




Faith/

Learning About Relationships

One thing we all have in common is our need to have relationships. Whether you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert doesn’t matter. As humans, we all desire to have a relationship with others. We all crave those connections with others because that is exactly how God has created. God created us in His image just as He says in His word, Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.” (CSB) God himself also desires to be in a relationship with others.

God has always existed in a relationship as the Holy Trinity; God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son. God also desires to have a relationship with us, His children. If God, the creator of all, needs relationships, then we should see just how important they are for our lives. We can see throughout scripture how relationships are an integral part of who we are. For example, Genesis 2:18 says, “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.” (CSB) From the very beginning, God knew it was not good for us to live this life alone.

Now we know we were created to need them, but do we know exactly what that means? What constitutes a relationship? What does relationship even mean? I think the first thing we think of when we hear the word relationship is of a romantic relationship with someone; like a date or a spouse. But according to the American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology, a relationship is, “A continuing and often committed association between two or more people, as in a family, friendship, marriage, partnership, or other interpersonal link in which the participants have some degree of influence on each other’s thoughts, feelings, and actions…” (ASA Dictionary, 2023). Our relationships include all the interpersonal connections we have with those closest to us.

The difference between the relationships God has with us and the relationships we have with others is that we are not perfect. As humans, we live in a broken and fallen world, therefore; we have broken relationships that make these much-needed connections complicated at times. There is no perfect relationship on this side of Heaven. No matter what type of relationship we are looking at, we can quickly see they all definitely take work and patience.

The best way to build meaningful and lasting relationships is also to set boundaries. Though we will save the topic of boundaries for another day, it is very important to note that they are an integral part of having healthy and thriving relationships. It is important to note here that unhealthy relationships happen and no matter what type of relationship it is (born into or chosen) just because we are Christians we are not supposed to stay in those types of relationships.

Because of the role relationships should play in our lives, I will be sharing some helpful tips on how to create new relationships, mend broken relationships, walk away from toxic relationships, and start thriving in your existing relationships. As we begin to dive into relationships, I am looking forward to sharing what God has placed on my heart and look forward to this next part of the journey.

Megan Wurzelbacher

https://www.meganwurzelbacher.com/

 

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®,

“Relationship.” American Psychological Association Dictionary, American Psychological Association, https://dictionary.apa.org/relationship . Accessed 10 Feb. 2023.

Faith/

Let Go, Let God

Today’s Office Space
Our backyard
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities God continues to give our family. Today school is done, work is going well, Jason received good news at his job, we have a beautiful yard to allow the kids to play and for me to work outside.
As I’m looking around I’m reminded how God not only provides but if I just get out of my own way he shows up with his Plan that is so much more than I could have even thought possible.
I always struggle with letting go and letting God.
I’m a serious planner aka control freak despite that I always say I trust God and I trust His plan. But then on the backend, I’m always grasping onto everything trying to make things go my way. Which only discounts God’s plan and who He is. Obviously, I know my plans and my way could never compare to the amazing things God has in store yet it’s a daily struggle.
So I’ve been really focusing on taking everything to God and waiting in prayer instead of holding on to every detail only to feel overwhelmed and lost. He continues to show me He is all I need to focus on.
As long as we are focusing on Him the rest falls into place, just how he intended it to. Does that mean every day is full of rainbows and butterflies absolutely not. But when I let go and let His plan play out the end result is always so much better than what I could have done.
So here’s your (and mine) reminder to fully trust God. If it’s in business, family, school, relationships, travel, or housework, doesn’t matter, nothing is too small or too big for God. Just put Him first and focus on Him.
Faith/

Mama On A Mission

Being a mom is one of the toughest if not the toughest jobs there are.

It is demanding in every way possible; physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and financially.

But it is also the most rewarding calling.

Growing up I never really knew the answer to the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up”. Many years later and with one undergraduate degree, one graduate degree, plus many other vocational certificates, licenses, and training programs and I would always joke and say I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I’ve always been multi-passionate which I think is just a fancy term that confirms my ADHD.

However, I did always know I wanted to be a mom but I never saw that as substantial enough to be a job on its own. I mean obviously, there is no paycheck so it couldn’t hold the same value as a career. At least that’s how our society and our world portray it.

Once I found a career in real estate I actually felt like this was the job for me. Especially when my brokerage allows me to work remotely from home. It felt like a win-win. I could bring home a paycheck, I could be home with my kids, I could still homeschool them, and I could still be the wife at home taking care of the household.

But I still found myself feeling pulled in every direction. Feeling like any success in one area of life meant I was failing in another. So if a business was my focus and things were going great then that was time taken from my kids, those were nights of working instead of one on one time with my husband, those were nights of no sleep and days full of piled up kitchen counters and laundry piles. If I was spending extra time focusing on my kids, the housework, my marriage, myself then that meant business was slow and paychecks were less and finances were tight.

The weight of it all was becoming too much. Finally, God intervened and opened my eyes. He reminded me of who I am and whose I am. I find it seriously ironic that I had lost sight of all this when I have written a book titled, You Are Trusting God to Define Who You Are. Oh yeah, I also like to write and published a book and have another one I will finish…one day.

I had gotten so caught up in the way the world views my roles and my success I had forgotten something God has taught me so many times before. My identity is in Him. He determines my roles. He determines my success. He is in control. I just need to be faithful and obedient. I need to trust in Him fully.

Recently I have been trying to figure out ways to balance it all better and to be successful in all aspects of my life. After prayer, bible study, podcasts, youtube videos, Pinterest posts, and every other available source of information He showed me what I was doing wrong.

I was caught up in doing things the way others expect me to do them. Not how God has laid them out and planned them specifically for me.

There is a quote and I’ve shared it on social media multiple times before because it speaks so much truth to my inner struggle.

“We expect women to work like they don’t have children and raise children as if they don’t work”.

I don’t work just for financial benefit. I work because it fulfills a part of me that God created in me, on purpose. My work does not give me purpose. My God gives me purpose.

We chose to homeschool for many reasons but one of the main reasons we have continued over the years is to create a family bond that is unique in that we are together so many hours (okay let’s be real… all the hours) in a day. I cherish the time I have at home with my kids especially as we are about to have our oldest say goodbye to his elementary years this summer. It goes by incredibly too fast.

So all of this to say we are making changes in our home and my business. What’s a better way to teach our kids how to live a life built on faith and obedience to God than to show them firsthand. I will be integrating my career and my role as a mother even more than before. My four assistants are being promoted to my four business partners. They will be around while I’m working not quieted in another room. I will no longer shy from posting social media videos to grow my business because I have four kids running around in the background. They will be helping me create my business marketing materials. (Kanen was up for the task already this week as he’s super excited to make more Facebook posts) . They will be interrupting virtual meetings. They will be laughing in the background of important phone calls. They will be present and I will be present with them. They are the most important part of my day and why not show them that every chance I get. That doesn’t mean I will fail as a Realtor or businesswoman. It only pushes me to show them how we can do anything in life as long as we are trusting God and stepping out in obedience to what he has called us to do.

I’m not just a mom. I’m not just an entrepreneur. I’m not just a realtor. I’m not just a housewife. I’m just who God created me to be which is a multi-tasking, multi-passionate, mama on a mission who is incredibly grateful for all the blessings in my life.

So be ready for all things Jesus, Real Estate, Homeschool, Housewife, and Chaos Coordinator related and enjoy whatever loud live videos and blooper reels are headed your way.

www.meganwurzelbacher.com

www.MeganWurzelbacher.eXpRealty.com

 

Faith/

Self-Care With God

What do all women have in common? Besides love and the absolute need for dry shampoo, it is our ability to multi-task and fulfill multiple roles at once. Think about your own roles for a moment within your own home, career, church, family, and community. You may be a wife, mom, daughter, employer, employee, volunteer, student, teacher, and a combination of those plus so many more. We are constantly trying to balance our various roles and responsibilities. No matter what roles you find yourself fulfilling you are constantly pouring yourself into others all while placing your own needs, desires, and sometimes basic human essentials on the back burner.

We often get so busy with life, in general, we forget to take care of ourselves. We are unable to make time to rest, refresh, and reconnect. Sometimes based on our circumstances of career, family, and maybe even church and community we do not even have the option of self-care.  Unfortunately, our relationship with God can often succumb to this busyness of fulfilling our roles and lack of self-care.

I know I personally struggle with finding time to just fulfill my roles and responsibilities let alone find the time and energy for self-care. My family and I travel for my husband’s career and our life is not the traditional family life. My husband works out of town full time and we travel with him the majority of the time. We call Kentucky home and when we are on the road we have stayed in hotels until recently we now stay in a travel trailer at a campground. I homeschool our children ages four, six, and eight all while trying to keep our one-year-old from climbing on absolutely everything! My husband often works eighty-plus hours a week leaving the responsibilities of the house and now the camper, the groceries, the meals, the school work, the packing, the preparing, and the children to me.

Because we are out of town we are away from family and friends which means babysitters are basically non-existent without extensive planning ahead and travel on my part or our family that is willing to help us out when needed. This also means I do not have friends local to me to call to come over for some adult communication. By the time my husband gets home from work all the nail salons, hair salons, and anywhere else I could think of for some mama self-care have closed. Therefore, for me in this season of life self-care is not exactly how social media portrays it.

Maybe you can relate as a single mother trying to do everything on your own going out with friends, having a day at the spa those things are impossible when you don’t have the support you need. Maybe you are the one in your family working the eighty-plus hours at work leaving you with no clue what self-care even means. Being a college student that works full time, I’ve been there, there is no free time to relax. For some of us, there is no me time, no downtime, no self-care.

Often times our me-time, self-care time, or any free time can be the time we dedicate to focus on our relationship with God. Those times can get lost in the shuffle of our schedules and our roles. When our bodies are telling us we need that extra sleep in the morning instead of our quiet time with God. When we are unable to make it to church because of our kid’s extracurricular activities. When work keeps us from extra time studying our Bible. Unfortunately, when we are missing out on our alone time with God in prayer, bible study, in worship, and/or in connecting with him daily we may find ourselves feeling disconnected from Him.

This rut of disconnection from God is easier to fall into when the rest of our lives, though busy, are going well. When we are in the mundane of everyday life with little to no trials, tribulations, or emergent needs can easily be swept away by the busyness around us. Not having an urgent need or desire to bring to God we can be caught up in our daily life and pray our simple prayer or our routine grace before eating meals or maybe skip prayer completely. We may be so exhausted from fulfilling our roles as women we take those extra quiet minutes in the early morning to sleep in instead of reading a devotional or listening to our favorite podcast. We know we have a relationship with God, we love Him, we need Him, but we may not realize our lack of putting forth effort and time into our relationship with Him is actually causing us to slowly stop pursuing him altogether.

When we are not pursuing God and not seeking him in our daily lives we are not just taking a quick break or resting. We are, however, risking everything. Becoming less connected to God and allowing our spiritual priorities to become less important than our worldly priorities sets us on a path of disappointment and total spiritual burnout. When we are not fully in pursuit of God and striving for a deeper, intimate connection with him on a daily basis we are allowing a distance to wedge between us. Then when we hit a speed bump in our life like a struggle, a trial, or a tragedy it makes the direction we should go less clear. It allows the enemy to fill that gap between God and ourselves. Then the hopelessness creeps in, doubt, fear, and anxiety begin taking over. We begin to doubt God and question our faith.

We all need rest, trust me as a mother who has not slept since 2009, I know we crave rest. Actually, God wants us to rest. He himself rested, “And on the seventh day God finished His work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all His work that he had done.” Genesis 2:2 (ESV)  He rested because his job was finished. We often need rest before our jobs are finished and that is okay and to be expected. We should be searching for that rest in God.  He is our safe haven, our refuge. We should be in a dire need of rest in God. “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” Psalm 62:8 (ESV)

Instead of just doing the bare minimum in our relationship with God and thinking we can just coast by as long as we are saved we need to invest ourselves fully in Him. We need to pursue him in the deepest most passionate way. We need to strive to meet with him daily over and over again. We need to submit ourselves, our days, and our roles over to Him. We should be fully immersed in the relationship with God instead of coasting by until we feel like we need his help. Jesus even took the time he needed to be alone and pray to God, “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35 (ESV)

Once we have committed ourselves to God and we engage in that relationship fully and purposefully we may just find that balance and that rest we have been searching for. God created us for His glory and purpose. So why not allow the one who created you to define you, your roles, and your priorities. Give yourself the most important aspect of self-care, your relationship with God. If you are struggling with finding the time here are some quick ideas. 

5 Ways To Find Time for Self-Care With God

1.    Lunch break: No matter what your lunch break may look like this is a perfect opportunity to connect with God. Take 15 minutes to yourself, at your own kitchen table (or like most moms standing at your kitchen counter), at your desk at work, in your car in the drive-thru parking lot, whatever works for you! Open your favorite daily devotional and spend some time in God’s word. Maybe devotionals are not your thing and that is okay! Open your bible start in Matthew read one chapter each day at lunch.

2.    Early risers: If you are anything like me this may be the hardest idea for you. I am not a morning person in any sense. However, on those very rare occasions, I choose to get up before little hungry kids wake me up the quiet of the morning makes for a perfect time to do some bible journaling or just to spend some time praying. Write down your prayers in a notebook or on your phone and look over them the next few months see how God moves in your prayer life.

3.    Night owl: This is my personal favorite. When you are laying in bed and you cannot sleep instead of scrolling Pinterest for all the lovely ideas you do not have time to do, listen to your favorite podcast. Grab your headphones, get comfortable, and just soak in someone’s message about God from a podcast you love.  If podcasts are not for you then grab your Bible and a booklight and sink into your favorite Bible study.

4.    Mama: To all the other busy moms I know finding time can seem impossible. Take 15 minutes every afternoon. It could be during nap time or after school. Tell your older children to find a quiet activity, turn their favorite movie on, read a book, play a game on their tablets, whatever works for you and your family. Set that time aside for you to listen to sit down and just spend quality time with God. Pray, journal in your Bible, find a verse that encourages you and write it down.

5.    Working women: No matter if your career is at home, in the office, or on the road finding downtime is incredibly difficult. Turn on some praise and worship music while you are getting ready, in the shower, in the car, at your desk, while making breakfast, or whatever can work for your schedule. Just take that time to worship God through music.

Carve out the time anywhere you can find it. In the car, in the morning, at lunch break, after the kids go to bed, whenever you can get it.  Invest fully in your relationship with God and allow Him to move in your life giving you a purpose and the tools you need. Start scheduling in your self-care time and remember the best way to take care of yourself is to fully invest and commit to your relationship with God.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved

Mama/

Mama 10 Ways To Renew Your Joy

Hey Mamas!

As a mama to 4 kids ages 7 and under I can so often find myself getting caught up in the mundane of each day, as well as the task and checklist I have. Add in the house,  homeschooling, activities, careers, and everything else and you quickly find yourself just trying to get through each day. We often need a refresh to remind ourselves (and our kids) we need to take time to add joy back in our days and make amazing memories to look back on. I know I am not alone in feeling like I need a mama refresh so here are 10 simple and fun ways to renew the joy in your motherhood!

Download the FREEBIE here as a quick reminder for renewing your joy!

  1. Start your journey back to joy with a dance party! My kids love it when we blast some music and dance around the living room! You can also turn on a slow song and twirl your little ones around and everyone will be full of smiles and giggles in no time! 

2. Ice cream makes everything better! Who doesn’t like a surprise treat every now and then! On days when we all need a little joy refresh in our house I load everyone up in our Wurzel Wagon (aka our giant van) and we hit up our favorite ice cream drive-thru. It makes it extra special when I do not tell the kids where we are going and as soon as they see the ice cream place cue the joy and screams! Don’t want to leave the house, then grab some ice cream and toppings at your next grocery shop. Surprise the kids with an ice cream party let them add their own toppings and enjoy some mama chocolate time along with your littles!

3. Movie nights are popular in our house. A movie allows some downtime and even some rest for Mama. Grab some popcorn or any other favorite snacks, pile up on the floor, on the couch, or our favorite, the bed! My kids really love getting on Amazon and watching old movies from my and Daddy’s childhood!

4. Lunchtime is often a little chaotic with school work, hungry kids, and a sleepy baby. So a great way to switch things up and add some smiles on everyone’s face is to have a simple picnic either indoors or outdoors. Make some quick PB & J, fruit, yogurt, and a juice box, and my kids feel like they have won the lottery. They would rather eat a snack like lunch than a homecooked entre any day and the simplicity makes it easier on Mama too. Throw a vinyl table cloth (Wal-Mart usually has holiday/seasonal ones that the kids love and they are about $3) on the floor and you have an easy clean-up picnic!

5. Bake Goodies! Our family is obsessed with Food Network! My kids love watching the Kids Baking Championship show. They have their own pretend  Baking Championship with cakes made of Legos, blocks, and other toys all the time. So we had a Brownie Baking Championship with different flavor brownies they all got to try and judge to pick their favorite. They loved it! Baking any type of goodies is always a way to add some joy to our days.

6. Craft Night is another winner in our house. Grab some construction paper, glue, tape, glitter paint, you know all the messy stuff! Let them go outside or use the vinyl tablecloth again to keep your mess contained. Give everyone a theme for their crafts or just let them use their imagination.

7. Break out the camera or use your phone and help your kids create their own TV Show or Podcast! My kids love to make their own news show updating on their day or the weather. They have also recorded their own show where their sister is the host and she interviews her brothers like a talk show and it is hilarious to watch!

8. Family game night! Break out the board games or simply play some tic-tac-toe! Make your own Pictionary games or charades. We have yet to try this but next on their list is a family Double Dare night!

9. Camp out in the living room! You can either hang out for a while in your campout or sleep all night! Throw some blankets and pillows down or sleeping bags if you have them. Make some blanket forts and tell campfire stories. Of course, you cant have a campout with smores! We recently made smores in a bag which was easy and less mess for Mama! Just melt some marshmallows or use marshmallow cream mix them in those little individual bags of honey teddy grahams, add mini Hershey bars or chocolate chips grab and spoon, and enjoy!

10. Have a family talent show! Think America’s Got Talent, The Voice, American Idol… everyone can take turns showing off their talent whether it’s magic tricks, dance moves, or singing their favorite songs! Make sure you participate too Mama the kids love it when I sing my favorite old-school songs (at least I pretend as they do) lol!

Have fun Mamas and renew your joy while making precious memories with your littles!

Have other ideas that your family enjoys let me know in the comments!

Faith/

Mouthful of Kindness

“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teachings of kindness is on her tongue.” Proverbs 31:26 ESV

As I was studying my Bible recently this verse really stood out to me.

First, anytime a verse from Proverbs 31 comes into play I am so tempted to feel defeated before even reading it. Let’s be honest the woman in Proverbs 31 seems perfect and I instantly think there is no way I am able to meet her standard. (Which I address in my book, You Are- Trusting God To Define Who You Are). But this verse is especially hard for me to live up to.

As Christians, we are already given this unfair idea of perfectionism, immeasurable kindness, and continual, unconditional love by both believers and non-believers. So when this verse is reinforcing the importance of what is coming out of our mouths and that kindness should be a major component of that I am instantly hit with guilt and the feeling of being a failure.

If you know me then you already know I have no problem talking! I have never really had a problem with saying what’s on my mind or how I feel about something. Having no issue with speaking freely and being assertive is a double edge sword at times. While I credit those qualities to helping me accomplish positive things in my life I can also say they have hurt me and discredited me at times as well.

When I think of what has come out of my mouth even in the last few months I can definitely say I did not always have wisdom, kindness, or love flowing out. Ask my husband and my kids and I am pretty sure they would agree with me. It seems those who are closest to us unfortunately are those who get the worst of us at times. The last year I have been working on being more intentional with my words and not just my words but the tone of my voice.

So I am taking this verse as my reminder to redirect my thoughts and therefore what comes out of my mouth. While speaking freely about what is on my mind and being assertive are a part of who I am, how I use those qualities are completely in my control.  Not only is this important for me to remember for myself it is important for the example I am setting for my own children. They mimic everything we do, what we say, and how we say it.

To help myself as well as my children we have been talking about using our words only to encourage and show love. We wrote down what biblical love is from the verses in 1 Corinthians 13 each characteristic of love on a post-it note. They each helped decorate them and we hung them up on the kitchen wall as a daily reminder for all of us as a family. It has not only helped them it has helped me! We do most of our school work in the kitchen, most of my daily housework happens in the kitchen, we spend so much of our day preparing, eating, and cleaning up in the kitchen it was the perfect location for us.

There is no need to assume that the famous Proverbs 31 woman was perfect either, I can assure you she was not. The quality that was most important about her was her faith and her intention. So I am focusing on my faith and my intention especially when it comes to my mouth! If you are like me maybe this can serve as a small reminder to you as well. So here is to controlling our tongues and focusing on speaking wisdom, kindness, and love to our husbands and our children.

 “13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13 New International Version (NIV)