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July 8, 2019 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

5 Grand Ways Kids Can Love Their Grandparents

This summer as your kids are searching for something to beat the boredom, it’s a great opportunity to teach your kids how to love their grandparents.

Did you know? 10% of American children live with one or more grandparents.

1. Send them a letter.

Even if they live nearby and even though it may cost mere cents, it’s still a grand gesture to send some snail mail. Toddlers can draw pictures (& moms can translate the picture if necessary.) Thanking them for their love and respecting their stories is always a beautiful thing to give elders.

2. Ask them questions.

Asking anyone questions implies that you value their knowledge and expertise. The elders in our community have valuable advice to give us! Your kids can get a good list of questions going. Pose this to your youngsters: “What 3 questions would you ask someone that’s been alive for __ years?”

What 3 questions would you ask someone that’s been alive for 70+ years? @TriciaGoyer

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3. Offer to help.

If distance is not too big an obstacle, how might you be able to help around the house? Kids can love their grandparents through service–can they pick up leaves? Mow the lawn? Dust off that one bookshelf? Paint a wall? Run some errands?

4. Make something with them.

Baking, carpentry, fishing, even writing can be great ways to show respect and love for your grandparents. Who knows?! You might finally get your hands on that heirloom recipe you’ve had your eye on!

5. Walk them through your family’s photo album.

If you’ve got access to recent photos, walk them through your favorites from the past year. Remind them of that performance their grandkid starred in, those report cards, soccer trophies, and science projects. Grandparents love to discover new ways to brag.

What are some ways your kids love their grandparents?

In my book Walk It Out I share how God helped me walk out love for my own grandmother by bringing her to live in our home instead of allowing her to spend her golden years alone in a nursing home. The truth is, it’s been a huge blessing to our family and my children continue to learn from her wisdom daily. To learn more visit Walk It Out.

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February 15, 2018 by Tricia Goyer 3 Comments

5 Ways to Encourage Singles While They Wait on God | Kristen Tiber

Scroll below for a chance to win a paperback copy of Kristen Tiber’s At the Well!

When I think back to my single days, I am very thankful I had a group of girlfriends with whom to hang out during the years before I got married. The time of waiting to meet and marry my husband would have been so much longer if not for a lovely group of Christians who could spur on one another in faith, laugh endlessly and fill the weekend hours together.

But it isn’t always that easy for everyone and social media hasn’t alleviated the situation. Today’s singles are not only challenged with navigating the single life in a society where the idea of love and marriage is often distorted and confusing, but they also have to swipe through their feed filled with stories and photos of their dating, engaged and married friends. It is no wonder we see so many Christian singles rushing into dating and pursuing unhealthy relationships.

What can we do to love and help today’s singles and tomorrow’s marriages?

Here lies an opportunity to lead singles in truth, provide direction and connect in a way that will encourage them to wait on God, to seek Him for a marriage partner and hold fast to biblical values.

Five Ways We Can Encourage Christian Singles

1. Point Them Always To The Faithfulness of God.

It is easy as a single person to feel lonely and forgotten when everyone else is pairing up like the couples on Noah’s ark. Remind singes that the One whom they trust with their salvation and eternity can surely take care of the details of their love life.

He knows every thought, every fear and every disappointment. He sees them and most definitely, has not forgotten them. Singles need to be reassured that God is faithful.

2. Model Strong Godly Marriages.

Singles’ groups are wonderful, but singles also need mentoring from married couples. Not all Christians grew up in a healthy, faith-filled home. Invite singles from your church for lunch after worship. Include them in Bible study groups. Meet them for coffee. Build relationships. Allow them to see what it means to be a godly husband and wife.

3. Encourage Spiritual Growth in Every Season.

No matter what the season of life, we all need to be growing in our faith and living a life of surrender to the Lord. Inspire singles to make the most of this time and grow in a vibrant relationship with God.

4. Direct Singles to Opportunities Where They Can Serve.

Some of my favorite activities that filled my single days were the many opportunities for ministry. Encourage singles to serve. One benefit of helping others is that it broadens our perspective and propels us to think beyond ourselves. It is a great prescription for a lonely heart.

5. Inspire Them with True Love Stories.

Have you shared how you met your husband or wife with the singles in your church? I have always enjoyed the opportunity to tell of the 6’5” guy I met on a blind date and ended up marrying as a part of God’s wonderful plan. Tell your story, but also encourage from the Scriptures. Genesis 24 holds a beautiful account of how God arranged for the very woman Isaac was to marry. His hand is over the entire story. Singles can find great encouragement and inspiration from this story of God’s plan for finding love.

Is God entrusting you with encouraging singles? How can you be a blessing to those who are waiting on God for love and marriage?

How can you encourage singles while they wait on God? @KristenTiber shares 5 ways on @TriciaGoyer

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More about At The Well: Discovering God’s Plan for Finding True Love, for Christian singles

At the Well takes readers on a journey through Genesis 24 – the story of Isaac and Rebekah – where God reveals the most beautiful blueprint for finding love and pursuing marriage. Want to know where to meet a future spouse? It’s time to head to the well.

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Kristen Tiber and her husband, Dan, met on a blind date fifteen years ago. Two years later, they married and now have two elementary-aged children. Kristen has a degree in Christian Thought/Christian Ministry and spent many years in part-time and volunteer youth work, yet God led her in a different direction for her professional career. For seven years, Kristen worked with countless couples as a wedding planner.

She loves Jesus, planning parties and teaching youth and young adults to follow God with their whole heart. Kristen has been blogging for six years and is the author of Teach Me to Serve. Currently, she and her husband teach the high school Sunday School class at their church.

June 27, 2017 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

Teaching Kids to Give Generously

Teaching My Children to Give Generously

I never planned on that very ordinary spring day to provide a teaching moment, yet that’s exactly how it turned out. I had just loaded my children into the car after a doctor’s appointment and a man, wearing tattered clothes, approached in a wheelchair. He asked if we had any food to spare, and I shared what I had to give: a sack lunch prepared for a picnic and a bakery donut I’d bought for my grandma. Joy filled his eyes when he realized the donut was cream-filled. The man was physically disabled but his humanity was displayed in a warm, thankful smile.

As I helped the man, three of my young children sat in the back of the car watching. To be honest in that moment I forgot they were there. Ages 3 to 6-years-old as we drove away they excitedly shared other ways they wanted to help the man. One of my daughters wanted to give her savings from her coin bank to him. My son wanted to share his bunkbed. Together we decided that while sharing a bunkbed wouldn’t work my children could use their savings to purchase items to create care bags. With a trip to the store, they purchased granola bars, toothbrushes, bottles of water, candy and mints and even socks. We packaged them up and keep these bags in the car.

Even years later, my children are excited to find people to extend compassion to. That one interaction was a first step to helping my children grow generous hearts. If you desire to have you children look beyond themselves to the needs of others, here are a few places to start:

Click over to the ECCU blog where I share 3 ways you can help your children look beyond themselves to the needs of others.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” Read full privacy policy here.

March 8, 2017 by Tricia Goyer 3 Comments

Just Because Gifts … Let’s Take the Time to Be Thankful

Do you have someone in your life who has been a shining light? Someone who has given of themselves and really made a difference?

Whenever I consider who has been this for me, I think of my friend Christie Erwin. Christie is the founder and director of Project Zero. Project Zero’s mission is this: 1+1=0. One waiting child plus one welcoming family equals zero kids in foster care waiting for forever homes. Christie works hand-in-hand with Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services to accomplish this mission. And the Goyers personally know that this equation works.

Christie and her daughter, Cara, raising money for waiting kids.

When John and I felt called to adopt from foster care a second time we felt that God had specifically placed something on our hearts. We felt drawn to adopt a sibling group of two or three older girls who would soon be aging out. Why this specifically? In my work with teen moms I’ve seen so many young women who aged out of foster care and who were pregnant within a few months. Vulnerable and alone, they turned to young men for love and to create a family unit they didn’t have. They often found themselves in the family way, but without the love they were looking for.

Other young women who aged out of foster care also became victims of sex trafficking. We felt God telling us that we needed to do something to solve this problem before it became a problem, even in a small way. We couldn’t help every young woman, but hopefully we could help a few.

This is the first photo we saw of the girls—the one that never made it to the Project Zero Heart Gallery.
Click here for more information about Project Zero.

I shared our heart with Christie through an email, and she responded right away. Christie said it “just so happened” that she heard about a sibling group of old girls just the day prior. They’d just faced a failed adoption, but their adoption specialist still had hope for these girls. She’d contacted Christie in hopes of getting their photo on the website and Heart Gallery. It turns out the girls’ photos—a sibling group of four girls ages 10-14—never made it to the website. After talking to their adoption specialist John and I felt these were our girls. And over the next many months we worked to do the home studies and paperwork to make that happen.

Whenever I look at my girls—who are now 100% Goyers—I think of Christie. If it hadn’t been for her relentless work for the cause of the orphan we would have never had this connection.

I considered buying a gift for Christie for an upcoming holiday, but then wondered, “Why wait?” So after talking with my girls, we decided to get Christie flowers just because. We ordered a bouquet from ProFlowers, and the girls and I delivered in one chilly, February night. Christie was in bed sick, but she sent us a photo the next day with her thanks.

Who has impacted your life? Who do you need to thank? Who needs a Just Because vase of flowers from you? Who’s day do you need to bless?

It’s important to be thankful, but it’s even more more important to show our thanks in small ways. I’d love to hear who you’re thankful for and how you want to thank them! Today is a good day to show your thankfulness.

Who needs a “just because” gift from you?. @TriciaGoyer

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January 5, 2017 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Growing Mission-Minded Hearts

One of the most important directives of the Bible is Mark 16:15, which says, “[Jesus] said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” How do we know it’s one of the most important? Because these are Jesus’ parting words to His disciples. He was leaving the earth for heaven, but He wanted the work to continue. Jesus has a heart for missions, and He wants us—and our children—to have the same.

I’m a mom of ten children, ages six to twenty-seven. Having a heart for missions has always been important to me, and it’s something I’ve aspired to grow within my children. My oldest daughter has wanted to be a missionary since she was nine years old. She’s currently twenty-four years old, and she’s been living and serving as a missionary in the Czech Republic for the last four years. I asked Leslie to share ideas for how parents can raise kids with a heart for missions. Her ideas all focused on the parents’ hearts first.

1. Have a Heart for Missions Yourself. “The most important thing is for the parents themselves to cultivate a passion for missions,” says Leslie. “When the children see their parents’ heart for the lost of the world, they will have it, too.”

2. Educate Yourself. Leslie recommends parents inform themselves about mission work throughout the world. Consider taking a course such as Perspectives to learn about the state of missions and opportunities in the world today. “Perspectives is one of the best tools for exploring God’s heart for the world. Whether someone wants to go, send, pray, mobilize, or welcome, it helps God’s followers recognize the needs of the world and the commission we share.”

Click here to read the rest of this post over at thebettermom.com!

7 ways to grow mission-minded hearts in your family from @triciagoyer @thebettermom

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April 7, 2016 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

How to Help Foster and Adoptive Parents

One of the most overwhelming times in my life is when we welcomed new kids into our home by adopting through foster care. Having them in our home was new for us, and it’s new for them. There were all types of fears and both positive and negative behaviors. I was weary, but my load was lightened greatly when neighbors, friends and our church family pitched in to help. We received some meals, a few gifts, and some gift cards. Even recently we’ve had friends and church members step up to offer childcare. (And childcare for seven kids is a lot!) Also, there were so many kind words, text messages for encouragement, and prayers. It really lifted me up!

Here are ways my friends were blessed, too. Take notes on ways you can bless foster and adoptive families who you know!

Friends brought over food, diapers and formula and other necessities while we got settled. Kids are often dropped off with nothing. Also, bringing coffee and doing meal dropoffs for our family were a big help. They didn’t ask … they just DID. Just show up! It’s hard to even know sometimes what to ask for. People who don’t wait to be asked are awesome. —Krystie

Friends threw us an “adoption” shower. We took the money and bought our three adopted kids a new wooden swing set. They enjoyed it for many years! —Sherrie

People helped by throwing baby showers, giving hand-me-down clothes, loaning or giving baby equipment, having a positive attitude and enthusiasm, and not treating our children differently or calling them “adopted children.” —Heidi

Our church prayed for us! Also, when we fostered, they helped us get clothes for the kids. —Becky

My husband’s job threw a shower for our first two kids. Our best friends threw a shower for first three. For the last three in my new city, my new friends brought meals for a week. —Karla

We are foster parents and my mom’s group at church made meals for us the first two weeks and donated toys and baby supplies. They have been such a huge blessing! —Charity

Friends just show up. We had a couple who came out to California where we were adopting and celebrated with us and served as a hand to hold after the emotional roller coaster we had gone through. —LeighAnn

My church threw me a baby shower. I had nothing, and we were surprised to have only 24 hours to get ready for her. Our family kept her so we could celebrate our first anniversary away for a couple days. —Laura

I remember when I was fostering and running a daycare, I had a local foster mom who offered to go to the foster Christmas toy giveaway for me since I couldn’t take the day off. She was like Mrs Claus delivering toys to my kids! —Lesley

Loved my child. I can still list the names of people who accepted my 4-year-old son with open arms from the moment he stepped off the plane. —Trisha

The most important thing in my opinion is having a village of friends, family and fellow foster/adopt families to surround you and your kiddos, for support. Fostering as well as adoption is a roller coaster of emotional challenges and to have a lot support is by far what kept us afloat! —Niki

Meals for the family is so helpful. —Shannan

Prayer was huge. A shower was very helpful, and just loving support was amazing. —Susan

The first week we got our children, people brought meals to us and gave us financial gifts, which was totally surprising but so helpful with all the costs we incurred setting up bedrooms, etc. Later, people willing to babysit, attend birthday parties so the kids felt connected, and most importantly, acceptance and love from others so they felt a part of our lives right away. —Julie

The system can be heartbreaking. Having other foster/adoptive parents as support and a sounding board got us through so many years. Others, even family members, cannot fully empathize, even though well intended. Prayer is the key for the daily strength and wisdom in parenting these very special kids. —Christy

We were very thankful that each of our children, adopted as infants, were always accepted as OURS–not as outsiders, not as someone else’s child or family member. Our church friends gave us a baby shower, which was wonderful! Everyone always accepted our adoption in the same way they would have a biological child of ours. —Karen

One adoptive mom wrote a beautiful note to our baby sharing how wanted she was and how prayed for she was. The perfect keepsake we’ll cherish forever. Other things that meant a lot:

Being excited with us was huge.
Loving our child immediately, even before it was final and safe.
Gift cards for diapers/formula, sharing baby clothes, etc. was a huge help financially.
Meals to help the first couple of weeks were a blessing.
Telling us throughout the process they were praying for us and asking for updates or asking to understand the process.
Wanting to visit but being respectful of time/holding/feeding especially at first.
Not expecting food/entertainment if they came to visit.
Offering to help with dishes (or giving paper products).
Financial support.
Celebrating when it’s final but being cautious to be appropriate if kids are older.

—Sarah

Respite care, meals, activities with individual kids, clothes, Christmas gifts, mentor individual children. Something that really touched me was when my biological kids were included, too… Their world has been turned upside down as well and it is nice for them to feel supported and treated similarly to their new siblings. —Kimberly

Friends washed laundry while watching my little guy, seven weeks of free childcare until he could go to daycare, watched him while I had a nap after being sick all night, praying over him, clothes given, furniture given, listening when it is hard, encouraging, and some meals. —Andrea

Our church enlisted some of us who have grown children and more free time on our hands to be foster companions. We shop, run errands, hunt down stuff, make phone calls, pray, and whatever else we can do within the parameters of foster care rules, in order to free the foster parents to do what only they can do. As a family, we have also included our nephew’s foster kids in our family get-togethers. —Betty

Prayed, listened, encouraged, let me cry, brought meals. —Tonya

***

As you can see these signs of care and love mean A LOT to foster and adoptive parents. Also, don’t ask WHAT is needed … just do something. Everything means a lot. I know!

How can you help foster/adoptive parents? Find out on @triciagoyer’s blog!

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November 17, 2015 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

3 Ways You Can Share God’s Love for $10 | Join the #GiveTen Challenge!

3 Ways You Can Share God’s Love for $10

As the holiday season rolls around I hear a lot of “I wants” from my kids. Catalogs show up in the mail. Commercials flash on the television. Every store is filled with racks of glittery, flashy toys that draw my children’s attention. My children are too easily drawn to what they can get, and my goal as a mom is to show them what they can give. Here are 3 ways I’ve done that.

Operation Christmas Child

We have participated in Operation Christmas Child for many years. My children pack a shoe box with gifts and OCC sends that show box around the world, sharing the love of Jesus with children. The children receive gifts, but they also receive the Good News of Jesus Christ in a 12-lesson Bible Study Course. With a trip to the Dollar Store my kids and I were able to fill three boxes for $10 each. We filled them with puzzles, balls, toothbrushes, socks and more!

I love that my children can choose gifts for another child on the other side of the world. You can visit samaritanspurse.org/occ to find out more about Operation Christmas Child.

Care Bags for the Homeless

Every Thursday night on our drive to serve at a Teen Mom Support group, my children and I see the same homeless man. And every Thursday I hear the same questions from my kids, “Did he eat today?”, “Where does he sleep?”, and “Mom, can we stop and help him?” That’s when I came up with the idea that would could help … even with $10. At the Dollar Store we bought snack items, a toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm, wet wipes, soap, socks and more.

One of my daughters even included one of her small pocket Bibles and my youngest kids wanted to share their candy! We delivered the bag last night, and my kids were so excited to give I to him. And their new friend had a huge smile on his face as he received it.

Gift Items for Teen Moms

It’s hard being a mom. It’s even harder being a teen mom without many resources. Even at a young age moms sacrifice for their children. That’s why I thought it would be nice to buy some gifts and bless two young moms. We visited the Dollar Store, and we gathered kitchen items for one young mom.

For the other young mom we bought items to pamper her, such as fuzzy socks and nail polish. I will be taking these items to our teen mom support group next week. We’ll be able to share with these moms that they are important to God and others, and they deserve to be loved!

Do you have someone your family would love to bless this Christmas? I’m partnering with ECCU for their #GiveTen campaign. It is a simple movement of Christians living out their faith – $10 at a time. I was so blessed to see the ways my children and I were able to work together to spread compassion, happiness and generosity for only $10. Now, it’s your turn!

I’d like you to find the most creative way you can to share God’s love for $10. I’m SO EXCITED to hear what you come up with! Share your idea with me and ECCU for your chance to win a check for $500 to do more in your community. Wouldn’t that be fun?! I love when we all work together to share God’s love!

About ECCU’s #GiveTen Challenge & $500 Giveaway:

ECCU is a full-service credit union designed for Christians. Their competitive checking, savings, investing and loan products help you do more with your money. So with every dollar you spend, you’re supporting ministry.

At the start of the season of giving, now is the time where offering thanks and helping others is top of mind. How would you spend $10 to do the most good for someone else?

Share your ideas and stories on ECCU’s Facebook page and enter to win $500 to continue blessing others!

Click here for official rules and learn how to enter: www.eccu.org/GiveTen

#GiveTen this season & enter the @ECCU Generosity Challenge! http://eccu.org/GiveTen #giveaway

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*Thanks for ECCU for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting all Tricia Goyer collaborations and sponsors.

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September 26, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 8 Comments

The Lulu Tree Boutique! (& Giveaway!)

*Please note, friends: This post is long. But, would you take time read it, for me? For all the precious Ugandan mamas who need your help? And then, would you consider sharing the post so others might help too? There’s even a giveaway at the bottom! Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. – Tricia

She walked for four hours just to meet me.

Her soles were red from Uganda’s earth and she didn’t break a sweat in the high heat. Her eyes shone but she lowered them, looked at her sandals, even as I reached out a hand to touch her shoulder, and I could feel the strength in this peasant farmer’s arm.

She’d lost her husband just weeks earlier to HIV/Aids, an illness people still talk about in hushed tones because of the shame associated with it. She’d lost her children long before that to this children’s home I was visiting–because she had a sick husband to care for and a farm that wasn’t bringing in money and no way to feed her sons or daughters.

And here I was, able to pay for her kids’ clothes and education while she wasn’t.

And not because I worked harder. No, she worked sun-up to sundown and had callouses across her hands and feet. No, it was because I came from a first class country overflowing with food and privilege while the rest of the world is forced to feed from our trash cans.

I smiled at her, but I felt sick.

I am a mother.

Every night I walk into my boys’ room and ache for them lying there in their beds, because they’re tucked deep in my womb. I cannot imagine how humbling, or humiliating, it would be, to have to ask someone else to take care of my children. To not be able to give them food or water, to not be able to keep them under your own roof-and THEN, to walk four hours to meet the woman who can?

This woman (me) who flies over in her airplane with her suitcase full of clothes and her bag full of lipstick and her wallet full of money, and says it’s all in the name of Jesus–a God this farmer worships more reverently each day than I ever have in my life?

Our Father weeps.

He anguishes over every single mother–because there are hundreds of thousands of them across Uganda in the same situation–who has to lose her child, who cannot take care of her children.

And He’s asking us to do something about it.

Sponsoring a child is good, don’t get me wrong. I sponsor as many children as I am able.

But standing there with this beautiful woman in her brown hat and her downcast gaze, her son’s eyes shining as he looked at me, I thought, No. Enough. There has to be more.
I want this son to look at his MOTHER with adoration, not me–a stranger.

I want him to look at HER to provide his needs, not me–an outsider who didn’t birth him without an epidural, who didn’t weep and pray over him every night of his childhood, who didn’t spend every minute of every day trying to earn enough money to buy him a bowl of Matoke (cooked banana) so he wouldn’t starve to death.

So, I went home and founded a non-profit called The Lulu Tree.

I didn’t intend to found a non-profit. I just wanted to partner with someone who was doing what I wanted to do. But no one was.

Our vision at The Lulu Tree is to work with HIV mothers in the slum of Katwe, Uganda (the worst of Kampala’s eight slums), equipping them to be care for their own kids. Our slogan is “Preventing tomorrow’s orphans by equipping today’s mothers.” Lofty, I know.

But you have to dream big, right? Shoot for the moon and you’ll land somewhere among the stars? So we’re shooting for the moon.

We’ve hired a beautiful Ugandan social worker named Esther Natakunda Tendo (Esther–is there more anointed a name? She has been called to free her people from captivity.)

Esther is a 29-year-old married mother of two who has received education in Sex and Gender Based Violence, computer application and project planning and management from the African Population Management. She has volunteered for years through the children’s home where she was raised, and has extensive work experience both in banking and in communications. Esther speaks several dialects, and is a strong believer in Jesus Christ. Her heart beats passionately for women and children suffering from AIDS, and it is her heart’s desire to help those who are impoverished find hope. As her name suggests, Esther has responded to the call to set her people free from poverty and despair.

We’ve also hired a national coordinator named Carol Masaba. She is the national coordinator both for The Lulu Tree and for the African Evangelistic Enterprise in Uganda. She partners with churches across the country to bring the hope of Christ to various parts of the nation. Carol has over 20 years experience in integrated community development work, during which she has worked with poor and marginalized communities to improve the well-being of children and youth. She is in charge of hiring and mentoring Lulu staff and volunteers and overseeing the ministry as a whole.

Both Carol and Esther will be working with the mothers in the slum of Katwe. Our goal is to equip them holistically–spiritually, emotionally and physically. This involves connecting them with the local church, providing HIV treatment for the mothers and children, and teaching the mamas a trade–to how to sew, or cook, so that after two years of being sponsored, these mamas will be self-sufficient. (You can read about how to sponsor a mama HERE). And … we’ve got some more exciting news!

We’re launching THE LULU TREE BOUTIQUE!

…with the ultimate goal of creating a market for these precious mamas to selling their beautiful work through, once they’ve been trained.

If you have Christmas shopping to do, and want to help people at the same time, look no further!! We would be so grateful. Follow this link: http://thelulutree.com/shop/.

Shipping is included with the prices. All proceeds go towards The Lulu Tree.

A friend of mine, dear Jodie Vanderzwaag, has given up her very successful business a few months ago to run this boutique. Pretty amazing. We are also partnering with The House of Belonging, Funky Fish Designs, Krafty Kash, and Little Dragonfly Boutique, as well as a number of individual artisans who have donated their products to this shop. My dear sister Christy Stewart Halsell of Sandy Feet Media has volunteered long hours to set up this website and boutique (I HIGHLY recommend her web services!), and countless others including photographer Leanne Doell have donated time and energy to Lulu. To see a full list of everyone who’s helping us, please visit HERE.

So, let’s get shopping!

We’ve got cozy slipper boots, slouchy beanies for kids and adults, little girl dresses, cowls and jackets, infinity scarves, dolls, darling Lulu headbands and artwork, jewelry, and more. See below for some sneak peeks.

Christmas season is around the corner! @TriciaGoyer & I will be shopping @TheLuluTree!

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On behalf of women like Harima, below, who is our first Lulu Mama–THANK YOU! For helping us bring DIGNITY and LIFE to these dear women!

Bless you! Thank you!

-Emily Wierenga

PS. Friends, if any of you wants to get involved with The Lulu Tree, we’d LOVE to have you. We are a non-profit that exists only due to the generosity and compassion of people like you. Please visit HERE to find out how you might change a life today through Lulu. Emily T. Wierenga is an award-winning journalist, blogger, commissioned artist and columnist, and the author of five books including the memoir Atlas Girl: Finding Home in the Last Place I Thought to Look (Baker Books). All proceeds from Atlas Girl benefit Emily’s non-profit, The Lulu Tree. She lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband and two sons. For more info, please visit www.emilywierenga.com. Find her on Twitter or Facebook.

To celebrate The Lulu Tree, I’m doing a giveaway!

Ten winners will receive a copy of my book“Life Interrupted.” One grand prize winner will receive “Life Interrupted” and a Lulu Doll! Only those in the U.S. are eligible to win. Winners will receive an email and be announced next week! a Rafflecopter giveaway

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September 22, 2014 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Family Volunteering: Tips & Tricks

Give back. Together.

You know the old saying, “It is better to give than receive.” For many families the best gifts they can give is the gift of themselves … through volunteering.

Family volunteering has been an interest to homeschooling advocates for years. Raymond and Dorothy Moore recommend an hour a day of home or community service. Can you imagine how your family (homeschooling or not) could impact the community by volunteering an hour a day? Even an hour a week would add up in the long run! Here’s how to start:

Fit the Activity to the Child

Expose your children to various volunteering opportunities then ask them, ‘What would you like to do?’ Give them resources, then empower them to do it. If your daughter has a lot of energy, or your son enjoys cooking, suggest an activity to match like mowing a neighbors lawn or making cookies for the family next door.

Work as a Team

“Through volunteer work, families spend quality time together, help others, have fun, communicate and develop family self-esteem,” says Lori Goudreau, manager of the Family Service Program. “Parents can reinforce family values, and kids can share their time and talents, and even acquire new skills.” A lot of what your kids can learn to do will take instruction time from you. All of that is time well spent together.

“Kids are more likely to stick with an avenue of service if they volunteer beside a parent or grandparent,” my friend Jan Johnson reminded me. Volunteering within the context of their family gives kids the security they need to reach out to others.

Be Prepared

When preparing for a volunteer activity it’s important to know what to expect.

Here are some questions to ask:

Where do we need to go?
When do we need to be there?
Who will we report to?
What are we expected to bring?
and … Why is our role important?

Knowing what to expect ahead of time will help children approach their tasks with confidence.

Having expectations will help children approach their tasks with confidence. @TriciaGoyer

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Give Feedback

Kids love to know when they’ve done a good job. After volunteering, talk to your child about the experience. Let her know how it makes you feel to see her acting in such a mature and giving nature. It will be just the thing that will make your child want to do it again.

Value the Lessons They Learn

I have discovered with my own kids that volunteering helped them establish their identity. When my daughter Leslie was 10-years-old, she used to baby-sit at our local crisis pregnancy center. In return, she discovered that her caring attitude and helping heart was valuable to many young moms in need. It’s a discovery that has impacted her as she’s grown into a young adult.

“Beyond citizenship, kids can learn so many other life-lessons from charity,” adds Kathy Saulitis, director of Kids Care, a national volunteer organization designed specifically for children. “They learn cooperation, tolerance, problem-solving, communication, self-awareness, confidence, respect for life and loyalty.”

And what mom doesn’t want that for her kids?

The same spirit that inspired President Kennedy to create the Peace Corps on a national level can be a very real part of the lives of you and your children. Your family can be a blessing to those in your community, and you’ll benefit as well!

Prayer

God, thank you for my family. Give us opportunities to give back to our community together. Give us a common love for the people and place nearby. Help us to value the lessons we learn as a team.

More Resources

Doing Good Together was founded in 2004 on the belief that when parents engage with their children in community service, they pass along the spirit of giving and goodness to their sons and daughters, strengthen their families, and create a new generation of volunteers, philanthropists, and kind, caring adults.

The Intentional Family: Simple Rituals to Strengthen Family Ties by Willian J. Doherty

The Busy Family’s Guide to Volunteering: Do Good, Have Fun, Make a Difference as a Family! by Jenny Friedman

Wide-Open World: How Volunteering Around the Globe Changed One Family’s Lives Forever by John Marshall

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September 9, 2014 by Tricia Goyer 9 Comments

In the World, Not of It: The Christian Bubble

When we moved to Little Rock in 2010, I knew it would be easy to slip into the Bible Belt bubble. My husband’s job was with a Christian organization (FamilyLife), so surrounding ourselves with like-minded friends would be easy. Big, beautiful churches are within a few miles of our home, and I knew we could make great friends at church, too.

But is that all life is about—to be surrounding with fellow Christians and enjoy life? Deep inside I felt it wasn’t. How could I raise my child to believe the concept of “giving to the least of these” when I wasn’t making the effort to cross town and reach out?

Bubble-Breaking Church

We started by attending an inner-city church (mosaicchurch.net). We were surrounded by people who weren’t like us in many ways. I also began a support group for teenage mothers, and my town teens helped with it. My son Nathan was our door monitor, letting the young moms in. (Because of the area, we cannot leave the church doors unlocked). My daughter Leslie volunteered to babysit every week, and my toddler daughter, Alyssa, made quick friends with the other kids. Coming from Montana (and a church where most of the people were like us), we felt we were breaking out of the bubble big time . . . but was that enough?

Bubble-Breaking Neighborhood

When we go to church or the grocery store, we see homeless people and lower-income people on a daily basis. As we built relationships within the inner city, we realized it’s not about “us helping them”—we realized we’re all the same and Jesus loves us all. Making a point to spend time in the inner city has increased our compassion as we build friendships and discover that we can find amazing people no matter where we live.

Show children they can be the hands and feet of Jesus as you give, love, and serve together. @TriciaGoyer

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But isn’t Our Job as Parents to Help Our Kids Stay Innocent?

Right now our kids at home are twenty, seven, four, and almost four-years-old, but two are out of the nest and living amazing lives. My older kids have been volunteering to help with teenage moms since they were elementary-school age. I remember when my daughter first started helping to babysit; she was only eight years old and heard all types of things come out of the mouths of the teen moms, like who was sleeping with whom, who had what disease, etc. At first I was horrified . . . my poor, innocent girl! Yet her questions about what she heard opened up amazing conversations about sexual purity, life choices, the way people are raised, economic poverty, etc.

Because of those conversations, my daughter became passionate about purity—after all she saw the consequences of sex outside of marriage. Just today I was talking via Skype to Leslie, who is on a two-month mission trip to the Czech Republic, and she told me she was asked to speak to a church youth group about sexual purity. You’ll never know how God will use your kids and how He’ll prepare them.

That being said, I have three young kids and I do my best to protect them. We do need to protect those little ears at times, especially during the ages when we can’t sit and have a long conversation about what they just heard.

But the Thought of Exposing My Kids Makes Me Nervous

Yes, anxiety comes when we expose our children to the hard things of life. As a parent, we want to protect our children. We want to keep them as innocent as we can, as long as possible. Yet we also must “go yet into the world.” (Isn’t that what Jesus commanded?) Needy, hurting people who need Christ are everywhere. The greatest example we can give our children of obeying Jesus is to show them people (who sometimes make bad choices and live hard lives) are different than us but that those people need to know about Jesus, too. It’s our job to tell them about Him!

As Christian parents, we don’t need to show our kids smut for smut’s sake. Instead, we need to point out people in need and show them that Jesus can transform anyone. Show them we can be the hands and feet of Jesus as we give, love, and serve.

Prayer

Thank you for placing me in a world that needs your love. Bring me opportunities to break out of my normal pattern of living in order to show your love to the people that need it.

More Resources

In, But Not Of: A Guide to Christian Ambition and the Desire to Influence the World by Hugh Hewitt
Blue Like Play Dough: The Shape of Motherhood in the Grip of God by Tricia Goyer
Generation NeXt Parenting: A Savvy Parent’s Guide to Getting it Right by Tricia Goyer
3 Questions About Giving Every Parent Should Ask
I’m Passionate About Teaching My Children Service to Others

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August 27, 2014 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

What I Learned About Homeschooling from the Kiberia Slums

Before I left for my summer trip to Nairobi with AWANA, I knew my heart was going to break seeing the children living in poverty in the slums of Nairobi’s Kibera

… but I never expected to learn so much about homeschooling from the teachers and students I met.

I never expected to learn so much about homeschooling from the Kiberia slums. @TriciaGoyer

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First, the slums are a hard place to visit. Over one million people live in a community of make-shift shacks, unsafe power lines, and filth. Channels of human waste pool down the middle of muddy pathways, and garbage is mixed in the mud. The stench caused my stomach to lurch.

A pastor friend guided us through the narrow paths and soon we came to a small courtyard. We stepped inside, and the sound of children’s voices met us. Over 200 children were packed into a small room singing praises to God.

In Kibera most children can’t afford school.

In Kibera most children can’t afford school. @TriciaGoyer

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Many of the children are orphans, and they are completely left to their own devices. They would die from hunger and living in the elements, but because of caring people, these children are taken in, fed, clothed, and educated in “schools.” These schools are not part of the government. They receive no funding. Few of these schools have books, yet they have volunteer teachers and caregivers who do all they can to give these children an education.

We, guests sat on white plastic chairs as the children gave us a presentation. Because of Awana’s training in Kenya the children quoted Scripture, shared biblical stories, and gave personal testimonies of God’s work in their lives. It was amazing!

I walked away thinking of my kids and our homeschool.

Click here (HEDUA.com) to finish reading this post for a few things I recognized…

Prayer

Give me a teachable heart. Show me the value of your word. Grant me the compassion to see others around me, both near and far away, and all they have to teach me about your love.

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