Favorite Books for the Joyful Mama

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Favorite Books for the Joyful Mama

I absolutely LOVE books. I love a book that leads me to the Cross, reminds me of God's abundant grace, convicts me of unrecognized sin, and helps me love my husband or children better. God's Word is always my go-to for all of those things, but there’s something special about hearing experiences and lessons from other people who are walking this same journey of faith. Their words feel like a warm cup of coffee with a trusted friend—comforting, challenging, and motivating. (By the way, here’s my very favorite note-taking Bible. I’m an ESV girl through and through.)

Over the years, I’ve read a lot of Christian books, but only a few have left such a deep imprint on my life that I still talk about them years later. I prayed hard about which ones to share here, and I narrowed it down to six books (and one journal) that I truly believe every Mama could benefit from. These books have been lifelines to me in different seasons, and I want to give you a quick rundown of why I love them so much.

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How I Taught My Profoundly Dyslexic Daughter to Read {on Grade Level}- FREE Worksheet Available

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How I Taught My Profoundly Dyslexic Daughter to Read {on Grade Level}- FREE Worksheet Available

here's little that strikes more fear into a homeschool mom's heart than the idea of teaching her child to read. It seems that every aspect of their child's future success is hinged upon this necessary, often ominous, skill. I know some homeschool parents that send their children to school for kindergarten and first grade, just to skip the stress of it! So, for a new homeschool mom to be greeted with a child whom she is doing everything "by the book" for and nothing seems to be sticking... well, it honestly feels like their deepest fears of inadequacy are coming to fruition.

You can feel like you must be the biggest homeschool failure in the world when you've been working diligently to teach your child phonics for over a year, and they still know less than a handful of sounds. You can be certain you've ruined your child's future when they are 7, and despite working to identify letter NAMES since they were 4, they still visibly struggle to name each letter. You can feel like pulling your hair out when your child sounds out CCCCC-AAAAAA-TTTTTT on one page, then sees it again 8 more times in the SAME book (seconds apart) and STILL has to sound it out like she's never seen the word in her life every single time. You can get seriously ready to quit homeschooling altogether (I certainly know this).

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Restoring + Redeeming Your Marriage

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Restoring + Redeeming Your Marriage

I love my husband. We've been married for over 15 years and together nearly 25 at the ripe old age of 36. He's literally sewn into my existence. We are like peas and cornbread—absolutely inseparable. Except back when we were separable—back when we were making our own rules, following our own feelings, and generally doing life (including marriage) our own way.

Way back when, we were stuck together but we both had some strong moments of being ready for that to not be the case. I'll never forget those days. Those long nights of fights and tears—when he finally decided enough was enough. Those are raw, unshakeable memories for two reasons. Obviously for the immense pain entrenched in them for both of us, but even more so for the unspeakable redemption and joy that came out of it all.

We often have a habit of looking at someone else's marriage and saying they have something we don't have. They're lucky. They don't fight, or their kids don't cause distress, or they don't have financial issues, or they haven't sinned against one another, or their husband does this one thing—or he DOESN'T do this one thing. But the fact of the matter is that almost every pristine-looking marriage that I know of has been on some seriously shaky ground. Loving is HARD work.

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3 Questions to Ask When You Want to Quit Homeschooling {Part 3}

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3 Questions to Ask When You Want to Quit Homeschooling {Part 3}

In part 1 and part 2 of this series (definitely go back and read those first if you haven't) we tackled the big question of evaluating our REASON for homeschooling in the first place and then used some worksheets to curate a homeschool vision. 

Our big question # 2 is this: Are you being REALISTIC with your expectations for homeschooling based on your personality, the abilities of your child, the availability of your husband, and the number of hours in the day? In other words, are your expectations appropriate or even reasonable?

Hear me first on this, mama: When you homeschool, you are NOT a "stay at home mom". You are a work from home mom. You are a TEACHER who works at home- degree or not. You are wholly responsible for your child's education (which is BOTH terrifying and a huge honor.) 

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3 Questions to Ask When You Want to Quit Homeschooling {Part 2}

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3 Questions to Ask When You Want to Quit Homeschooling {Part 2}

{This is part 2 of a 5 post series, so if you're just finding this, hop back over here to read the introduction to this challenging topic.}

If you're reading this (and I hope you read part 1 first), it's probably because you're a homeschooling mom who is COMPLETELY burned out. You can no longer see the purpose in why you are doing this. You can no longer see the value in working SO hard, when other people don't- and they're kids turn out ok... right? I mean, YOU probably weren't homeschooled, and you turned out just awesome! So WHY do something that's just so stinking hard that leaves you questioning your sanity and constantly fretting over your child's future and your relationship with your child?  

So, let's gain some perspective first before you call it quits completely and have the kids waiting on the bus on Monday!

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5 Ways to Grow in Respect for Your Husband {and maybe heal your marriage}

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5 Ways to Grow in Respect for Your Husband {and maybe heal your marriage}

Confession: I have not always respected my husband, treated him in a respectful way, or even thought he was someone who I ought to respect.

I'm going to assume that my husband and I are not the only ones who have ever struggled in their marriage, had deep valleys to drudge through, or huge learning curves to overcome when it comes to pursuing Biblical marriage? I'm going to assume we aren't the only one who've hit rock bottom, maybe signed some divorce papers (and then burned them in the fire)? If you have walked through some seriously rocky times in your marriage, I hope that some of the lessons we've learned together can be an encouragement to you.

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The Secret to Beating Fear {once and for all}

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The Secret to Beating Fear {once and for all}

I know fear. I know earth-shattering, mind-spinning, gut-busting fear that comes in the blink of an eye, that overruns you with anxiety for everyone you know. I know what it means to have every single "worst nightmare" scenario race through your mind every time your husband leaves the house or your child is out of your sight. I know what it feels like to have life going along with everyone being "ok" and then the next moment, they are gone.  I know it well. 

Unfortunately, sudden death is a persistent friend of mine. I've met him time and again, and despite giving him the full breadth of my thoughts about him in no uncertain terms, he keeps showing up. Sorrow and suffering, it turns out, don't take direction from us. When they show up unannounced, all that seems permanent and concrete and never-failing can begin to shiver and quake and flip the world right on it's axis. 

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How to Find Relief from Overwhelming Grief

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How to Find Relief from Overwhelming Grief

Paul said it best when he said, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Phill 1:21)

And Paul knew. He had faced hurricanes, shipwrecks, stonings, beatings, torture unimaginable, prolonged imprisonment... He knew what it was to have much and to have nothing. He knew what it was to be imprisoned, abused, starved, lonely, grieving, and ON TOP OF ALL THAT- a stinking thorn be stuck that he could NOT get relief from- "a messenger of Satan, to torment me" (2 Cor 12:7). You know he had to had times when he was like... Dear Lord- HAVE MERCY.

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3 Questions to Ask When You Want to Quit Homeschooling {Part 1}

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3 Questions to Ask When You Want to Quit Homeschooling {Part 1}

Anyone who has ever homeschooled for more than a day knows it, and anyone who has only a few semesters under her belt can testify: quitting can be a nagging desire in certain seasons. We can feel doubtful, overwhelmed, incompetent, and stretched to a breaking point. We can worry that we are ruining our children's futures or damaging our relationships. 

This 5 part series is for those who are having more difficult days than they'd like and are considering throwing in the towel. Why 5 parts? Because it's that big of a deal. 

How do I know? I've been there. I've quit.

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The ONE Big Secret to Homeschooling with Excellence

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The ONE Big Secret to Homeschooling with Excellence

Not everyone is called to homeschool their children, but those who are know it's challenging on every level. And it's a challenge so often strewn with criticism and an incredible amount of self-doubt. Homeschool moms are notoriously some of the most insecure people in the world. We seem confident because we're willing to be so counter-cultural, but when it comes down to it, we're frequently overrun with doubts and fear, and so we compare and second-guess at every turn.

Jesus faced many of the multitudinous challenges we also face on a day-to-day basis (and obviously a few more). The disciples did not "get it" every time he told a story. He frequently had to stop and explain what he meant to them (the parable of The Good Shepherd in John 10 is good example of this). And even when they understood at the time, he would still have to go back over and over again explaining the same concepts, telling new stories, giving new examples. He consistently had to refresh and remind them of truth he had previously taught them.

Even when he went to the cross, they still did not have a good grasp of what he was teaching them. Only once the crucifixion and resurrection took place, and they had the resurrected Christ actively in their lives, did they truly gain access to the knowledge and understanding that he had been working tirelessly to pour into them. 

So here's the big secret, and it's a big claim (so bear with me)...

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