No Higher Calling

Simeon and I just celebrated our 10th anniversary! We have had the sweetest time reflecting on the past decade and all that God has done in our lives together.  On this episode, Sim joins me to share some memories of our early days, as well as things we've learned about marriage.  We share... -Things We've Done Well -Things We Want To Do Better In -Thoughts on Marriage Growth -Best Marriage Advice...

Kara Rodgers joins me to share her family's story with trusting their children to God. Jordan and Kara have five children, and their oldest has non-verbal autism. In recent days, God has opened amazing doors for their son that has allowed him to communicate and share what God is doing in his mind and life. You WILL be encouraged as you listen to their story! Maybe this will speak to your heart as...

Join me for a deep dive into research surrounding the debate between whether manuscript or cursive should be a child's first handwriting instruction.   We discuss... -Is handwriting instruction important? -Progressive education's introduction of the print "ball and stick" method -Development of early motor skills -Contrasting the differences between cursive and manuscript   Resources Referenced: T...

Scripture only records two sentences that Job's wife says. They are words of condemnation towards her husband and bitterness towards God. What a legacy to leave behind! While we can feel deep empathy for Job and his wife at all they lost, they handle their trial in very different ways. We can glean wisdom from their example that will strengthen our marriages as we walk through grief and loss.   Sc...

"Is there an ideal 'house' for homeschooling? Yes! It's yours- the one you have right now. The key to a great homeschooling house is to use the house you have to its fullest." -Julie Bogart, The Brave Learner   For the homeschool mom, there can be pressure to cultivate a "perfect homeschool environment." What does that look like? Is it recreating what we see on social media? What happens when we d...

Hear what books I've been reading this quarter!   1. Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef  2. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis 3. When Your Child is 6 to 12 by John M. Drescher 4. Really Very Crunchy by Emily Morrow 5. How Can I Feel Productive as a Mom? by Esther Engelsma 6. Be Your Child's Pediatrician by Rachel Weaver 7. A Lifelong Love by Gary Thomas 8. Mind the Gap by Terrie Chapp...

1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage. That statistic is staggering, even more so when you become the one. When we believe that life begins at the moment of conception, the loss of a baby at any week gestation is a deep grief. A person has died. A person that a mother and a father have fallen in love with. More and more, we are hearing from the mothers. They are opening up on what has previously b...

"God's call to you is not to get things done but to use time well. God's will for you is not to get things dome but to grow in sanctification. God's purpose in creating you is not to get things done but to glorify Him." -Esther Engelsma I recently read the booklet, How Can I Feel Productive as a Mom? by Esther Engelsma. My heart was so challenged! She looks at productivity and motherhood through t...

"Salvation is more than a past experience. It is a present possession." -Clarence Sexton   John writes that we can KNOW that we have eternal life, yet for many of us, we doubt our eternal security. Doubt is a real part of my story. For many years, I struggled with placing my full faith and trust in Christ for my soul's salvation. Fear clouded my understanding of Scripture. Praise the Lord for the...

Scripture records many people that we can look up to and desire to model our lives after. But it also records thel lives of people who we want to be nothing like! Ahab and Jezebel are a couple that we can learn from as we see their negative example. What can we learn from this wicked couple? -You reap what you sow, and you reap more than you sow -Spouses enabling wickness instead of encouraging in...

One of the challenging parts of parenting is discipline. This has gotten a negative rap in modern parenting, but God's Word has a lot to say about discpline. This even goes beyond the parent/child relationship, and has impact on our entire lives. Discipline is simply learning to obey God and walking in the way we should go according to His Word. There are three aspects to discipline- preventative,...

How can you encourage your pastor? Evangelist Scott Pauley gives great, biblical advice on how church members can support their pastor through prayer. This advice has impacted my life, and in this episode, I share how. We discuss... -Why your pastor needs you to pray for him and his family -How praying for your pastor will open your heart to receive more from preaching -Specific things to pray for...

In 2015, The Wall Street Journal did a survey recording that while 82% of people parenting today did chores growing up, only 28% of those parents were requiring their children to do chores today. Why the significant decrease? Is it important for our children to do chores? Simeon joins me as we discuss how chores help children learn life skills, how to work together as a team, and how to grow in re...

Women wear many hats. We need energy and health to steward our many responsibilities well. Yet we live in a society where people are struggling with mental and physical health issues more than ever.  Sarah Boots from Faithful and Flourishing joins me to share her health journey and how circadian rhythm has had an astounding impact on her quality of life. She's been chatting quite a bit about this...

I have been baking bread for years, but this year I challenged myself to make all of our bread products from scratch. There are many reasons for this such as taste, cost, and health. Bread is a staple of most homes and kitchens.  We chat about. . .  -How to weave bread making into the rhythm of your day -The cost and health benefit of eating homemade bread products -Grinding your own grains   Reso...

Isaac and Rebekah begin their marriage relationship with so much potential. Sadly, as we walk through their story, things fall far from God's design for marriage. God blesses their marriage with children, but instead of children stregthening their marriage, they allowed them to divide it. Some lessons we learn from this couple: -How a couple should handle sorrow -The importance of being one in dec...

Let's rewind the clock about 2 decades and get a snapshot of little girl Brettnay. I'll never forget the day I got a brochure in the mail saying that the Junior Miss American pageant wanted me. ME! I knew from that moment, I wanted to be a model.  Fast foward, God did not answer my little girl prayers. And I am so thankful! Yet in some ways, He did. I am not modeling fashion, but I am modeling Chr...

Grocery prices are outrageous these days! How can we provide delicious, nutritious meals for our family while staying within a budget? This is a struggle that almost all homemakers are battling right now. I know I am!  In this episode, I share ways that I am trying to be a wise steward of our grocery budget.   Resources: NHC Family~ Why Should You Budget? https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/nhc-...

From the beginning of the earth, God designed a perfect order for the family. And ever since, Satan has sought to corrupt God's design with a counterfeit. His attack on marriage and family prove just how important these are to God and to society as a whole. What is God's purpose for the family? What is God's view of children? How can followers of Christ leave a multigenerational legacy that will t...

There are many different ways to extend hospitality. Sometimes, you might find yourself hosting a guest for weeks on end. Now that we are living abroad, we rarely get overnight guests, but when we do, they stay for an extended amount of time. I love hosting family and friends, but when having long-term company, it is very helpful to have thought through details to make the visit smooth.  Several o...

Watching a child's wonder and imagination ignite is incredible and nothing accomplishes that quite like a rich story.  In this episode, we chat about. . . -The importance of imagination -Where to draw the line with fantastical literature -Protecting the freedom and enjoyment of childhood -Benefits of reading aloud and imaginative play   Resources: NHC Podcast: Approving Things That Are Excellent h...

Simeon and I have walked through five postpartum seasons together. Each one has look different. Our experience with our later babies was vastly different from our experience with our first two. Some of that came out of necessity, some of it came out of growth in our understanding of the postpartum season and each other. It has been beautiful for us to walk through this season as a team.  In this e...

Rachel Sengmany joins me to discuss ways to minister to today's teenage girl. Rachel has years of experience working with teenagers and she desires to see their lives transformed by Christ. The things that teenagers face these days are very different from what people faced even just a generation ago. But the gospel is the same, and it has power! Rachel shares several different struggles that teen...

A podcast listener asked me to address the question "how to encourage a missionary." I loved that question and the heart behind it!  I polled a large group of missionary women and came up with a highlight list of things one can do to be an encouragement to a missionary familly. I share these on this episode as well as somethings people have done for our family that have been a blessing!   Resource...

This episode brings us to a couple, who though joined in marriage, are nothing alike. Abigail is a women of strong character and a meek spirit. Nabal is a fool. In spite of this unequal yoking, Abigail has the joy of the Lord. When her husband acts in foolishness, she responds in godly wisdom. This wisdom saved the life of her husband and the reputation of the future king.   Some lessons we learn...