FREE Study on Wisdom for 3rd-5th Graders

FREE Study on Wisdom for 3rd-5th Graders

In my mind, one of the best things about being a parent is noticing how OTHER adults are pointing my kids to Jesus. When my kids start talking to me about Bible passages they learned at school or church, I turn into the peppiest version of myself (cheerleader energy), and I try to get them to tell me everything. My daughter had been studying 1 Kings at school, and she had lots to tell me about Solomon and wisdom, and I had lots to say about Solomon and wisdom, and before you know it, my daughter’s annoying mom had outlined a whole Bible study based on our conversation.

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January Is Mean + Gospel-Centered Goals for 2022

January Is Mean + Gospel-Centered Goals for 2022

Does anyone else get whiplash from the sudden “Christmas cookies!” to “Let's cut out sugar!" thing that happens as we transition from December to January? I always feel like we were having so much fun until January had to come by and ruin everything.

Anyway, I rant about this every year (see several blog posts here and my Instagram highlights here), and then every year I remember that the gospel is really good news for the girl who is allergic to goals. It's also good news for the girl who loves goals. So, if you want:

  • some good-natured ranting

  • gospel perspective on goal setting

  • a peek into some worship-related goals I have this year

  • help to set your own worship-related goals

…I've created a 13-minute video that I hope you'll enjoy!

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New Testament Survey for Kids (An Accidental Conversation)

New Testament Survey for Kids (An Accidental Conversation)

He was flipping through the tiny blue New Testament he was given as a baby, wondering about the words in red. “The words are red when Jesus talks,” I explained, smiling as I remembered that was even a thing. What a wonderful thing!

What came next was an accidental New Testament survey, six-year-old style. (I thought I’d retell it to you because sometimes talking to a kid about the Bible makes you love the Bible more.)

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A Guiding Principle for the Modesty Conversation: You Are Not Merely a Body

A Guiding Principle for the Modesty Conversation: You Are Not Merely a Body

Modesty is about as tricky of a topic as it gets. There are many of us who grew up in the church and can easily recall the deep shame we felt when someone told us that we crossed a line. Maybe we didn’t mean to cross the line. Maybe we had no idea where the line was. Maybe we disagreed about the line. Maybe we meant to cross it, but we were still horrified to be brought so low so quickly. Whatever the heart condition, the shame was the same, and we walked away confused that our bodies could be a weapon in so many ways. It attacked us when we looked at it in the mirror, and it attacked others when we did not clothe it properly. We were confused because the world implied our body was how we earned favor, but the church implied favor was earned by how we covered it. We were frustrated because we got two opposing messages: it doesn’t matter how you look on the outside, but also it really, really does.

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Mothering on Mother's Day

Mothering on Mother's Day

Mother’s Day is a day shaped for sweet celebration—but it also exposes: who we’ve lost, who we long for, who we have never known. If you've ever spent a Mother’s Day service weeping or avoided it altogether, you know what I mean. (Precious brother or sister, if that's you, I hope this and this can serve you. May God bless you and keep you.)

And yet, even for the woman who is not currently experiencing any acute loss or longing, it can be an unexpectedly difficult day. This article is for that woman—the one whose circumstances seem ideal on paper. The one whose house and hands are full, who is hungry to be acknowledged and appreciated.

To this woman, I want to offer two pieces of counsel:

  1. Look out.

  2. Get dressed.

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