LOVING LIFE AT HOME - Christian Marriage, Biblical Parenting, Creative Homemaking, Purposeful Living

Modern lists of learning styles are much lengthier than the one I learned in school. And after raising 12 children, I can think of a few learning styles I've never seen on any chart. So in this episode of Loving Life at Home, we are discussing how to make the most of your child's learning style -- and what to do if you can't figure it out. SCRIPTURES CITED: - Galatians 6:9 - "And let us not grow w...

In honor of holy week, I 'm sharing a few of our family’s favorite Easter traditions today. Although I love baskets and bunnies and colorful candy as much as anyone, we’ve always tried to place the main emphasis of this season on the sacrificial death and bodily resurrection of Jesus – and on what Christ’s finished work means to those who put their faith in Him.  For specific ways to do this, list...

Today's the anniversary of the day my husband proposed to me, so I'm taking a little walk down memory lane.... One thing I've learned through more than three and a half decades of marriage? Endings are far more important than beginnings. Show Notes VERSES CITED: - Matthew 21:28-32 - "There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said....' RELATED LINKS: - Expensive Weddings Linked to...

I worked a 14-hour shift at the polls last week for Super Tuesday. And every passing week takes us deeper into an election season that is looking more and more like a repeat of 2020. Which makes me think now would be a great time to review an important concept that seems to have been lost in our current cultural climate: And that is the ability to discuss differing opinions in a civil manner. We'v...

You don’t have to dig very deep to discover the #1 rule for building a happy marriage. Jesus spelled out our standard in the Sermon on the Mount: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” ( Luke 6:31 ) In marriage, that translates to "Treat your spouse as you wish to be treated." Show Notes VERSES CITED: - Luke 6:31   - Mark 12:31 - Philippians 2:3-4 - Matthew 12:36 - Romans 14:12 - Eph...

The Bible uses a lot of running analogies, and the half-marathon I completed over the weekend really helped drive them home.  Show Notes VERSES CITED: - Corinthians 9:24-27 - “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one....” - Matthew 20:16  - “The first shall be last and the last shall be first.”  - Hebrews 12:1-2 - “...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us...

Today I’m pulling back the curtain on habits that have helped me be more productive. I hope you’ll find them helpful for getting stuff done, as well. Show Notes SCRIPTURES CITED: - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Pray without ceasing."  - Psalm 90:12 - “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.“ - James 4:17 - “... to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to h...

Jesus calls us to "love your neighbor as yourself," and what closer neighbor do you have than the spouse who shares your bed each night? Loving your husband is something wives need to do not only on special occasions like Valentine's Day and wedding anniversaries, but every minute of every hour of every day, all year long. Show Notes VERSES CITED: - Titus 2:3-5 - "Older women likewise are to be re...

Can a woman nurture her children without neglecting her husband? Is it possible to be a loving wife and a devoted mother? How do we strike a balance between marriage and motherhood? Show Notes SCRIPTURES CITED: - Matthew 11:28-30 - “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest....”  - Ephesians 4:1-3 - “…being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of p...

Lots of people devote their whole lives searching for happiness, yet happiness seems more elusive than ever. That is undoubtedly due to the fact folks are looking in the wrong places. So, how does one find lasting happiness? By realizing the fact that happiness was never intended to be our primary goal; rather, it's a fringe benefit to a life well-lived.  Find and fulfill the ultimate purpose for...

One of my New Year’s resolutions this year is to make Bible memory more of a priority. Memorizing scripture doesn’t come quite as easily these days as it did when I was a kid, but the following tips and tricks have helped speed my progress significantly. Here's hoping they'll do the same for you! Show Notes SCRIPTURES CITED:  - “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your so...

God should be more than the top item on my to-do list. When we think in terms of putting God first, then by definition, something else comes next. It implies that once God's been given His fair share, the rest of my resources are mine to do with as I please, to pour into family, job, hobbies, or whatever else might be on my list. But that's not entirely accurate. This whole hierarchical way of thi...

To me, succeeding at things that really matter means investing in something of lasting value. And to do that, we must make sure we our building upon a sure foundation and not on shifting sands.  Show Notes VERSES CITED: - Matthew 7:24-27 - James 1:27 - Matthew 25:36 - Proverbs 25:21 - Ezekiel 34:4 - Romans 12:15 - Hebrews 13:2 - Hebrews 13:3 - Matthew 10:42 - Matthew 6:6 - Matthew 6:3 STAY CONNECT...

Show Notes Today is January 1 -- Can you believe it? That’s why I’ve chosen as my topic this week 7 Secrets for Making New Year’s Resolutions You’ll Actually Stick To.    Whether you call it goal setting or resolution making or vision mapping or just turning over a new leaf, TODAY is a fantastic opportunity to make some changes for the better!   What's more, that's true whether you’re listening to...

It's Christmas Day, so this week -- like the spectre from Charles Dickens' classic tale -- I'm sharing some stories from Christmas past. Stories that entail some embarrassing moments and concentrated efforts to re-tie strings that had been broken. Show Notes SCRIPTURES REFERENCED: - “Although He existed in the form of God, he didn’t regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himse...

Our extended family (40+ people) just got back from spending a week in San Antonio, Texas. The Texas hill country is a beautiful place to visit almost any time of year, but it's especially gorgeous when it's all lit up and decorated for Christmas. Today, I'm sharing all the fun and budget-friendly things we did while we were there, and giving tips for finding similar bargains in your neck of the w...

Show Notes Don’t you love all the extra mail the month of December normally brings with it? It’s fun to open all the pretty Christmas cards and see the family photos, but I especially enjoy reading the newsy letters that are often included. Sending such newsy letters is one of our family's longest standing holiday traditions. Not only do our annual Christmas updates help us keep in touch with dist...

Show Notes This week on the podcast, by special request, we are discussing favorite family Christmas traditions: Why they're important. What counts as a family tradition. How to establish a few new traditions. And what to do if an old tradition no longer serves you well. RELATED SCRIPTURES: - "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Fa...

Show Notes One of my favorite Christmas traditions is attending holiday home shows, but having a show home oneself is not a pre-requisite to extending hospitality, which is something all believers are called to do. RELEVANT SCRIPTURES: - "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling." - 1 Peter 4:9 - "When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitali...

Show Notes SCRIPTURES CITED: - “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19 - “... you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” - James 4:2-3 - "For with God nothing shall be impossible." - Luke 1:37 - “If you then, being evil, know...

Show Notes Every man craves respect. I think that deep desire to be well-esteemed by family, friends, and foe alike is hardwired into the Y-chromosome. The vast majority of men value respect even over love. One of the most powerful things you can do to build up your man and strengthen your marriage is to shower your husband with the respect and admiration he so longs for. The details may differ fr...

Show Notes Homeschooling will look different from family to family, depending on aptitudes and personalities, number and spacing of children, teaching and learning styles, work and family responsibilities, and a whole host of other considerations.  But there are a few general principles we should all adhere to if we want our children to thrive under our instructions. I call these the ABCs of Homes...

Show Notes On this week's episode of Loving Life at Home, I'm fielding questions about gospel-centered parenting. I frequently hear from moms who have many of the same questions I had as a young mother. They want to know… - How can I pass on my faith to my children? - How can I be sure I'm training my children in the way they should go?   - What does it mean to bring them up in the fear and admoni...

In this week's episode of Loving Life at Home, I'm tackling another question sent in by a listener. This one wants to know, Is having babies a waste of time? Should Christian couples skip having kids to focus on sharing the gospel? That's not a question I hear every day, but it's one that definitely deserves some deep digging into God's Word. Tune in to hear what the Bible has to say about this co...

This week on Loving Life at Home, we're discussing date night. We all know spending time together is an important way for couples to nurture their marriage, but it is necessary to go out on the town to make that happen? Is a couple doomed to divorce if they don't prioritize such a practice? Is having a weekly date night essential to maintaining a happy marriage? Show Notes VERSES CITED: - "The hus...