The Balanced MomCast | For Overwhelmed Christian Moms Seeking Time Management, Work Life Balance, and Focus

You know that feeling when you haven’t seen a good friend in a really long time?  And you sit down over lunch and you’re talking so fast that you can’t breathe?  And the server has to keep returning to your table because you haven’t looked at the menu yet because there’s so much to say??? That’s me today. It has been a year since I last spoke to you in real time, because I’ve been reading through...

Today I’m sharing a metaphor for this crazy ride called motherhood and a few "other things I want to tell you." If you’ve been listening from the start, thanks for sticking with it—and I’d appreciate it if you could leave a quick review on Amazon or Goodreads to let other moms know what you loved about the book. This is The Conclusion of Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Te...

It never ceases to amaze me what the Lord teaches me in a year. In January 2019, I wrote out the list I’m reading today–which includes several things that changed my life forever (Abide! Podcasting! Plant-based eating!). This is Chapter 48: The final round-up of What I Learned Last Year.  While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find me at Behind the Balance on Substack , Writing Off Socia...

I never want to be the older mom who discourages the younger mom, but neither do I want to be the mom who paints such an unrealistic picture of family life, that no one can relate to me. If you're a mom who is going through a hard season of parenting teens, you are not alone. Today I lay out the truth about parenting teens–the bad and the beautiful.  Also, Happy New Year, and thank you for be...

Merry Christmas! It’s time for another edition of “What I Learned Last Year.” Circa 2016. This list is especially fun because I give my first hint that I will start a podcast and mention writing a Bible study on balance which later became my first book! This list covers everything from goal-setting and TV binges to monitoring teens on the internet and caffeine intake. This is Chapter 46: What I Le...

Reflecting on two of the most exhausting years of parenting, two things stood out to me—two things that others did that gave me new energy. If you know a tired mom, I’m sharing two simple ways you can help her feel alive again. This is Chapter 45: Be a Life-Giver to a Tired Mom. Listen in. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find me at Behind the Balance on Substack , Writing Off Soci...

If I could retitle this essay, I’d name it: "For the Mom Who Idolizes Productivity." Or maybe, "For the Mom Who Keeps Raising the Bar." Because while it’s true this is an essay about a time I sent my kids back-to-school and had a meltdown, the bigger truth is that it’s a time I gave myself a pep talk about silencing my evil inner critic.  This is Chapter 44: For the Mom on the...

I wrote this essay after talking with a friend who was at a doctor’s office and witnessed a teen openly disrespecting his mom. My friend was outraged that the mom said nothing in response and was expecting my approval. Instead, I sided with that mom. This is Chapter 43: Dear Mom of the Mouthy Teen: an Open Letter. Listen in. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find me at Behind the Ba...

Who knew that the decisions I made in 2015 would still be affecting me so profoundly now in 2025? As we approach the end of the year, I hope this list inspires you to make some decisions of your own that stand the test of time. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find me at Behind the Balance on Substack , Writing Off Social , or The Scoop on Balance.   Substack Newsletter: Behind the...

Of all the essays I’ve written in this book, I think this is the one I’ve personally shared the most often with my personal friends. It’s hard-fought wisdom from the toughest years of parenting on record. This is Chapter 41: Six Strategies for Staying Calm When Your Teen is Freaking Out. Listen in. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find me at Behind the Balance on Substack , Writing...

Some people struggle to offer apologies. But I have the opposite problem: I apologize too often. That isn’t a humble brag, like, “I don’t know why, but I’m just soooo generous. I just loooooove giving away my money and my time to people." No. Apologizing too often for the wrong things is messed up. In this essay, I explain why.  Listen in. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find...

Making decisions as a parent can be tricky. Often, we lack all the facts–either because our child is withholding them or because the child doesn’t have them either. Thankfully, God has all the facts, and He gives us His Holy Spirit to guide and direct us—in the form of a gut feeling. That’s what I’m talking about today. Listen in. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find me at Behind...

I grew up in the 70s and 80s where I never learned about sexual purity. Then, I started parenting in the late 90s on the tail end of the Purity Movement. Neither of those approaches worked well for me as a mom. Today I share what did. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find me at Behind the Balance on Substack , Writing Off Social , or The Scoop on Balance.   Substack Newsletter: Beh...

For me, middle school was the most challenging season of parenting, hands down. It wasn’t all bad, but it was tricky and confusing. If you have a middle school student, this essay alone is worth the price of admission. Today, I offer you literally everything I know about parenting through this short season.  While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find me at Behind the Balance on Substack...

If you know me at all, you're already aware that I have a complicated relationship with social media. What you may NOT know is that this complication began almost immediately after I joined back in 2008. And I’ve been writing about social media and its effect on me since that time. This is an essay I wrote 11 years ago after a 20-day Facebook break.  Is it time for YOU to break up with social...

For many of you, parenting through the middle school and teenage years is the most challenging season of all. If you were sitting across the table from me in the midst of an exhausting season with your teen, this is what I’d say to you.  This is Chapter 35: A Parenting Pep Talk. To Me, From Me. But Also, To You. Listen in. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find me at Behind the Bala...

Each year in January, I compile a list called “What I Learned Last Year.” I include several of these lists in this book because they mark changes I made in my parenting, my marriage, and my health. This was written at the end of 2013--a doozy of a year (yes, I just used the word "doozy"), when I learned so much about everything. This is Chapter 34: What I Learned Last Year, Vol 1.  Liste...

If you’re listening in real time, it’s the end of September. But the essay I’m reading today is all about the craziness that is May. No matter what time of year, if you’re finding yourself overwhelmed and double booked this is for you.  Today, we begin Part Three: The Middle School and Teen Years. This is Chapter 33: I Had a Dream. Listen in. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find m...

I wrote this chapter when my kids were 10 and under. Today, that 10-year-old is now married, and the youngest child who was in my bed that morning is now in college. Let this serve as a brief reminder to dress for the season you’re in, because the seasons will change. This is Chapter 32: Flip Flops in the Snow. Listen in. This concludes Part Two: The Elementary School Years. Tune in next week as w...

This is a short and sweet note of thanks to every mom out there who has already had a full day, and it’s only 7:30 am. This is Chapter 31: Dear Mom, Thank You. Listen in. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find me at Behind the Balance on Substack , Writing Off Social , or The Scoop on Balance.   Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance   Website: The Scoop on Balance

This is for all you creative mamas out there. If you’ve ever faced disapproval, indifference, or outright rejection when sharing your art, I’ve got some encouragement for you. This is Chapter 30: Why You Must Not Obey the Rules . Listen in. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find me at Behind the Balance on Substack , Writing Off Social , or The Scoop on Balance.   Substack Newslette...

If you’ve ever had a really bad day, lost your cool, or wished you could rewind and start over, this chapter is for you. Not only do I offer a way to recover, but I also offer hope that your bad day (if handled well) will lead your kids to the feet of Jesus. This is Chapter 29: What to Do When You Wish You Would Have Handled Things Differently.  Listen in. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus,...

The chapter I’m reading today begins with a quote I had come across accidentally from John Ortberg and his conversation with Dallas Willard. This quote has since become a mantra for overly busy people everywhere. But for me, it helped me navigate the real-time tension I was feeling between pursuing a writing and speaking ministry while trying to take care of the three small children in our home. T...

Some chapters of the book don’t lend themselves to reading aloud, but I’ll do my best here. This is a Facebook comment thread back when I was still on Facebook and Facebook was still fun. I hope this episode brings some laughter to your day. This is Chapter 27: Confessions of a Real Mom.  Listen in. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you can find me at Behind the Balance on Substack , Writin...

This is one of my favorite pieces I’ve ever written. The 10-year-old daughter I write about is now 26 and married. It’s a good thing I practice reading through these before I hit record, because I just bawled my eyes out, is what I’m saying, and I can’t promise you it won’t happen again. This is Chapter 26: Coffee With Mom Comes Full Circle.  Listen in. While the Balanced MomCast is on hiatus, you...