Why are traditions important? Where do we see a basis for traditions in the Bible? How can celebrating holidays like the 4th of July inspire us to greater ideals? How can traditions help form our identity as a family? Listen in to a sweet conversation with James Nelson about the power of traditions in our lives and the way it has shaped us as a couple. Happy 4th of July!!

Contemporary motherhood narratives are all over the place. On the one hand, it is assumed that moms can’t shower, do a serious Bible study, or go on a run and that it’s normal to want to “escape” from our kids. On the other hand, the expectation to do it all can feel overwhelming.The internal pendulum of motherhood swings from striving to complaining and back again –sometimes in the course of an hour. How do we escape this cycle and reorient our parenting around Christ our Redeemer?

According to the data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics only 4.1 percent of Americans attended or hosted social gatherings on a given weekend or holiday in 2023. On the one hand, the decline of parties may not seem like such a big deal. The majority of Americans feel too busy (60 percent of the general population and 74 percent of parents) –so why not just eliminate the party stress? But when we continually choose our cozy jammies over “putting ourselves out there” we suffer. God creat...

A quick addition to the conversation with Katheryn Butler. Buster's Ears Trip Him Up Series: Good News for Little Hearts

If you were to ask your child what gives him or her value, what would they say? The message that our kids hear from culture is that our accomplishments define our worth. Although this philosophy isn’t new, thanks to information technology kids suffer mounting pressure to base their identity on their successes. “Students today are saturated with messages about performance in their classrooms, with their peers, teachers, colleges, social media, and the larger culture,” comments Jennifer Breheny...

For many of us summertime is a blissful welcome. Schedules are relaxed, sports are mostly over, and there’s a lot more free time. But sometimes that lack of structure can feel really daunting! “What exactly am I supposed to do with these wild little humans?” Listen in for encouragement from Meredith Hammer, mom of eight, to soak up this slow season of summer through thoughtful schedules, low-pressure adventures, and intentional family time. This episode covers: ChoresRoutines Kid d...

Here is a quick read through of Meredith's summer bucket list!

In a world that prizes hustle and constant productivity, breaking the habit of hurrying can seem far-fetched, yet taking time for rest is far more productive than we may realize. Listen to a conversation with naturalist Eryn Lynum and the author of The Nature of Rest as we consider patterns of rest from Scripture and nature and share practices for these times of refreshment in our own lives. Eryn's new book launches today! Check it out on amazon

Happy Holy Week! Everyone wants to enjoy parenting but so many of us are struggling. What's the key to delighting in this calling? Everyone wants to be a loving, joyful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled parent. But in this world marked by sin and decay, our efforts are never enough. Yet, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in me, more and more, God is working to make me holy. The key to enjoying parenting is resting in the power of the resurrection and s...

It seems, if you want to be countercultural, throw parties and do it regularly. According to the Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics only 4.1 percent of Americans attended or hosted social gatherings on a given weekend or holiday in 2023. When Christians choose to foster community –both within the church and with unbelieving neighbors –we push back the darkness. In a partyless culture, Christians have a strategic opportunity to invite our neighbors to become friends. As ...

Across the western world, women are saying no to kids. According to the Annual 2024 State of Motherhood Report compiled by Motherly, a secular motherhood website that reaches 20 million women a month, only 25 percent of Gen Z and Millennial moms surveyed said they planned to have or adopt more children while 55 percent said no to more kids, and 20 percent said they were unsure. According to Pew Research two thirds of moms say parenting is harder than they thought it was going to be. The...

When it comes around to late February and early March we are desperate for some tulips to start blooming. But alas! It still isn’t time to start planting. What do we do with these gloomy months of waiting? And how does the waiting help prepare us for the glories of Spring? **** Christie Purifoy is a writer and gardener who loves to grow flowers and community. Most of all, she is a placemaker, and the place she is making with her family is a red brick Victorian farmhouse in Pennsylvania ...

As a Christian mom, I should know better than anyone that nothing I do is invisible. Everything I do—or neglect to do—is fully and completely known to God. There’s no such thing as an invisible mom or a supermom. But there are moms who are fully known, fully forgiven, and fully loved in Christ. He has called us to live in the light as he is in the light. And as we abide in him, we need not fear our labor is in vain.

Sometimes it feels like the world depends on us and yet amidst our worry and wrestling, the Lord reminds us to call him “Abba, Father.” When we anchor ourselves to God through prayer, we free ourselves from the myth of our own sovereignty and trade anxiety for joy.

If I’m totally honest, the idea of talking to my kids about sex isn’t the most appealing. But as a Christian parent, it is important that my kids are blessed with a biblical vision for sex and sexuality. If I neglect this responsibility it may be the case that their thinking is informed by the world.Today we are going to be talking with Garrett Kell, father of seven, pastor of Del Ray Baptist Church and author of the book Pure in Heart about how to talk to our kids about these sensitive...

In order to lead well, it helps to plan.Nine times out of ten, days that I tumble into without intentionality, prayer, and planning feel more like chaotic, cranky, messy disaster zones I am desperate to get out of rather than orderly, productive, creative days filled with adventures and joyful memories.The natural bent of this sinful world is towards destruction and decay. If I’m not proactive about it, my days are not going to bend that way too.D.A. Carson stated, “we don’t drift towards hol...

In God’s economy, joy and sorrow are often handmaidens. Christmas is a time of gladness –but often sorrow and joy go hand in hand. You can’t have the miracle of the resurrection without the cross. The birth stories of Jesus and his Eljah like cousin, John the Baptist, are no exception.“Some longings have a season, but the nature of longings itself is universal. God has written everlastingness into our DNA; these time-bound hearts of ours were made to live forever, and when we cease to ye...

Advent is a tradition that has been celebrated by Christians around the world since the 5th century. Rightly understood, Advent is a time for Christians to look back at God’s work in bringing the infant Savior into the world and look forward to when Christ will return as the glorious King to judge the living and dead and make all things new, right, and beautiful. Listen in for the how and why of our family Advent practices as well as fun creative ideas to celebrate during December.*****M...

Welcome to Part 2!Listen in as Amanda Balikian and Laura Hughes discuss how a grateful heart is the what enables us to serve with a grateful and generous heart. ****https://thesaltymarshmallow.com/easy-dill-dip/https://lilluna.com/turkey-veggie-tray/

Happy Thanksgiving week!Thanksgiving began as a time to celebrate God’s provision in the lives of a small group of Christians. But a thanksgiving feast wasn’t their idea! From the beginning, God has been telling his people to feast and that feasting can actually be a form of worship. All feasting should point us to a time when we will feast in total comfort and security away from sin and distress in the presence of God.The fall feasts of Israel were a little different than our Thanksgiving ce...