Delighted Motherhood

Going to church with my five little kids can sometimes feel like wrangling monkeys –very dear little monkeys –but little monkeys that have been known to spill the coffee all over the pew in front of us and then shriek in terror at the act. (Nothing to see here, people. Normal Sunday.) Matt Merker in his book Corporate Worship argues, “A church service is one of the primary settings in which believ...

In honor of Father's Day, listen in for a slightly exaggerated but hilarious story about the Magic of Sleepy Ridge. When a disgruntled doorknob decides he's done being taken for granted, Mom and the kids are trapped outside. There's only one person who can rescue them: Dad. This story is my reflection of the everyday faithfulness of my dear husband. Often, I can get caught up with e...

Practically, how do we carve out time, in the midst of hectic mothering, to seek the Lord in prayer?  Susanna Wesley, mother of evangelists John and Charles Wesley, had sixteen kids. She was certainly busy, but she taught her kids that if they saw her with an apron over her head, they were not to bother her because that meant that she was in prayer or in the Word.  That’s a woman committed to depe...

Some Christian authors describe fasting as the most feared and misunderstood discipline, and perhaps the least practiced in the Christian church. Why? What stops Christians from fasting? Listen in as James walks us through a definition of Christian fasting as well as why and how to engage in fasting as parents.  Like all spiritual disciplines or ordinary means of God’s grace, through fasting, Chri...

The Nelson Family welcomed sweet Katherine Grace Nelson on April 1st 2026. Sweet Katie has been a joy and a delight to all of us. Listen in for a brief update about life with five kids and the magic of Christ centered motherhood.

What is classical education? In particular, what does it look like during the early years? Is it boring? Is it rigorous? It is effective?  Are there ways to blend elements from the classical model with other models?  Although this conversation is largely geared towards parents who choose to home educate, the concepts discussed can enrich the the educational experience of all families whether schoo...

Listen in as Kelly Schibi shares her testimony of God's care for her as she has battled cancer as a mom to three young children.  For ease of listening this conversation has been split into two segments. Be sure to listen to part one before part two. Kelly Schibi’s reflections on her Caring Bridge Scripture References:  ·       Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, b...

Listen in as Kelly Schibi shares her testimony of God's care for her as she has battled cancer as a mom to three young children.  For ease of listening this conversation has been split into two segments. Be sure to listen to part one before part two. Kelly Schibi’s reflections on her Caring Bridge Scripture References:  ·       Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, b...

There’s something deep within us that craves a haven and a place to belong. We have been created to dwell with God. Although that desire, to reside and abide with Him a beautiful secure place of rest, can never fully be met on this side of heaven, we can receive a sacred foretaste through rooting ourselves to our homes in the here and now.  But sometimes the kind of home we long for feels out of r...

All of motherhood is both hard and beautiful, but there is something uniquely intense about those first few weeks after welcoming a baby. A mother is recovering physically from bringing new life into the world while simultaneously learning how to care for a tiny, mysterious new person. It is tender. It is overwhelming. And it is often deeply exhausting. In this episode, Annie VanderHedien, author...

Christian parenting is inherently missional. Rather than limiting ministry, parenting can provide a springboard for evangelism and discipleship within the home–both inside and outside our families. Far from being sidelined from ministry, parents who approach parenting with a missional mindset will find explosive opportunities to declare the glory of God.  In this episode I'll be talking to Ja...

How do you process grief? How does your husband process grief?  Marriage is full of many good and lovely seasons. But every marriage will also experience losses. How do we process those losses in a way that brings us closer to one another and also closer to God? How is processing grief a chance to lean into God’s design for marriage? How can we work through differences in the way we grieve without...

As members of a large-ish family, my kids aren’t often the center of attention. But I want them to know that they will gave a regular time when they have my full, complete, and undivided attention.  For us, this means special monthly one-on-one coffee dates on Sunday mornings before church. Listen in for why to "date" your kids and when and how to do it.   It’s by no means a requirement,...

Setting year long goals can be a helpful way to stay on track with our ideals. Listen in for a very brief discussion of how and why to track fitness, reading, and outside time goals in 2026.

Parents are in the business of training --and that should include training to serve. We train our kids not to run in the road, to put their shirt on frontwards, and to use the bathroom. During childhood these actions are challenging, but by adulthood, most of us have it figured out. We practiced these things over and over until they became ingrained and second nature. In addition to learning to br...

If you’ve been married for more than five minutes, chances are you’ve faced conflict. Sometimes conflicts resolve easily, but other times they can eat away at your heart and mind. What should your heart’s response be when your spouse is unreasonable and reconciliation seems impossible? When you’re facing serious disagreements with no clear path forward, what are some practical next steps you can t...

Several years ago, the kids and I started eating our breakfast on the front steps of our house. I had just finished reading The Art of Neighboring , in which the authors encouraged Christians to look for simple ways to be “seen” in their neighborhoods. One of the easiest ideas they shared was moving some activity from the backyard to the front yard. At first, I set up a blanket on the grass and re...

Fall is a popular time to start thinking about thankfulness. Thankful, Grateful, Blessed is on every mug, pillow, and sweater. What’s not to love about gratefulness? Talk to a random person on the street and ask them if they think gratefulness matters and they will almost certainly say yes.  But what is thankfulness? How is Christian thankfulness distinct from secular thankfulness? Why is the obje...

Is passion in marriage something we ought to desire? Where do we see a basis for pursuing romantic love in Scripture? How important is friendship to a marriage? If I am sacrificing myself for the needs of my spouse and putting him first, does it matter if he feels like my “best friend”? Why or why not? In a two part conversation our guests Jason and Casey Cashell are going to help us think through...

It’s very normal for couples to fall into patterns of living that feel more like roommates than lovers. The process of running a household –at any stage –can be very consuming.  Did you take the trash out? Did we schedule the plane tickets? Have you noticed the door hanging at an angle?  Everyday tasks can be even more consuming during the little years. Little kids require a lot of physical and me...

As moms, we often have a tendency to be “all in” for our kids but then feel used up when it comes to our husbands. How does our relationship with our husband affect our kids? And why should we make a conscious effort to put the health of our marriage above the needs of the kids? Often we can get into cycles of frustration with our spouse and our words can have a tendency to spiral. What is at the...

Chocolate is yummy, parenting is hard. These things are self-evident. Marriage is also hard. There may be seasons when we feel bitter and frustrated --particularly if we feel like we are carrying a double parenting load.  How should we respond when we feel ourselves becoming bitter and resentful toward our husbands?  How can we come alongside our husbands and support them in their role while still...

"1 Peter 3:15 says 'Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect' Do you see the overlap here? As we live our lives and people notice the hope we have, we should be excited to share with our friends the reason for our hope – because we want what is best for our friends. But to do...

One of the most well-known stories in the Old Testament–God commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac–is also one of the most infamous.  My husband says that this passage haunts him. During law school, his classmates would reference Genesis 22:1-19 as evidence of the destability of God. How could a good God possibly command something so vile? Atheist Richard Dawkins calls it a “disgraceful sto...

We know fitness matters --but exactly do we make it happen when we have so much else going on?  For me it is helpful to remain consistent, look for ways to be creative, and weave both a plan and people into my fitness goals. In this portion of the episode I'll walk through what fitness looks like for me and my kids and share some best practices that I hope will give you some ideas for ways to...