Tricia Goyer HomepageTricia Goyer

Living God’s Word One Step at a Time

You are here: Home / Archives for Motherhood

Motherhood

by Leave a Comment

14 Ways You Can Help Teen Moms

There are certainly more than 14 Ways to Help Teen Moms, but this a great start. Young moms have a lot of needs. They’re still teenagers, yet they also have to balance school, a boyfriend, friends, parents, and sometimes work. Some of the ways to help teen moms may seem small, but to a teen mom, they could make all the difference. I know–I was that teen mom.

14 ways to help teen moms

 

14 Ways You Can Help Teen Moms

As a teen mom, I faced depression when I lost my boyfriend and most of my friends during my pregnancy. I dropped out of school and slept until noon. With each day that passed I put another brick in the wall I was building around my heart. Those bricks started tumbling when older women reached out to me with love and compassion. Because they loved me, I dared to believe God loved me too. Sometimes I wonder where I’d be today without those women.

If you’d like to help teen moms, here are some valuable ways to do it. You may never know the impact, but I guarantee it’ll be huge!

1. Offer a prepaid phone.

“I offered a young mom a prepaid phone so she can always call for help when needed. I also paid/ordered cab rides for her to go to the doctor or ER when necessary. Apps such as Uber or Lyftt make it possible to help long-distance. I wasn’t even in the same state, but we were able to help in this manner.” —Angela

2. Take her shopping.

“I had the pleasure years ago to take a young mom maternity clothes shopping. This trip experience was the first for us both but such a precious memory.” —Sherry

3. Help with homework.

Offer to help with college applications. Search for scholarships, too.

14 ways to help teen moms

4. Share your life–be a true friend.

“I welcomed her into my home with hugs, stood by her choice to have her baby, was her friend, prayed for her, and held a shower for her.” —Mary Elizabeth

5. Offer to babysit for a season.

“I babysat for a young girl so she could go back to college. She was valedictorian at her high school graduation and got a full-ride scholarship to our state university. She found out she was pregnant just before graduation. It was the middle of her second semester and first year of college when she gave birth. She had nobody to help, so I babysat so she could go back to class literally one week after she had him.” —Trisha

6. Host a baby shower for her or collect almost-new items from your friends.

Many young moms are unable to purchase items themselves. “I encouraged my local Republican Woman’s Club members to put on a shower for her. They went all out, and it was very nice!” —Heidi

7. Take her to lunch and talk about her baby.

Even if a pregnancy is unexpected and unplanned, there is still a child to celebrate. Ask her if she has any questions about pregnancy or parenting you can answer.

8. Talk to her about relationships.

Let her know you won’t be shocked by her questions. Many young women find themselves in unhealthy relationships and don’t have anyone to talk to them about it. Give her supportive, loving advice.

9. Offer to do a Bible study with her, or invite her to a Bible study with your friends.

14 ways to help teen moms

Many young moms have questions about the Bible, but they’ve never had anyone to ask. “I bought her a Bible to read during her lonely hours.” —Martha

Because many teens have smartphones (and spend lots of time on them) show her how to download the YouVersion Bible app. It’s free and means she will always have the Word of God available to her no matter where she is–in doctor’s appointments, school, or late nights with a new baby. It even has several free Bible studies she can do alone or with a group.

10. Host a birthday party.

“I gave her a gift at her daughter’s first birthday party (including a fantastic book for teen moms). The gift also had ‘pampering’ stuff for her—bubble bath, that kind of thing.” —Jodi

11. Gather the troops to help teen moms.

“I found thirty people to give $100 to a teen mom at church so she could get a car. A guy from church who was a mechanic tuned it up and got it in tip-top shape.” —Carmen

12. Buy her some inspiring books.

I wrote Praying for Your  Future Husband and Teen Mom: You are Stronger Than You Think with teen moms in mind. Read through them with her and give her a chance to share her thoughts and feelings.

14 Ways to Help Teen Moms

13. Be there for support.

“I watched her son, drove her to and from work, fed her (both with our family and sent food home), purchased formula and diapers, took photos of her and her son to send to family, and invited her to church.” —Kimberly

14. Be a friend.

“I was her friend when no one else was.” —Nicole

14 ways to help teen moms

14 Ways You Can Help Teen Moms

These fourteen ways are just a start. Consider how God can use you to help a young mom in your life. The value for her and her child is immeasurable.

Download this free resource as a reminder of how you can make a difference to a teen mom!

I hope this encourages you to help a teen mom in your city, church, or family.  They need us!

Warmly, Tricia

Other Blog Posts I’ve Written About Teen Moms

Teen Mom, You Are Not Alone

Gaining Wisdom by Working with Teen Moms

A Letter to Teen Moms | You Are Important

Broken Things Made Beautiful

Word Identity | Your Words Change Everything!

Share “Teen Mom” with Someone Today!

5 Practical Ways to Run a Teen MOPS Group

Somebody Needs to Hear

17 Ways to Reach out to Single Moms

Why Does Mentoring Matter? A Lesson From Mary

Just Be Available to God

God Is Not Punishing You For Your Past Sins

An Unexpected Life

How to Start a Teen MOPS Group

How to Help Teen Moms

 

by 1 Comment

A Time to Forgive ~Flash Fiction

There’s a time for everything under the sun–including a time to forgive. In this flash fiction piece, I explore how forgiveness comes when we share our stories. This Black History Month I feel honored to be a guide sharing a tour of the location of the 1957 riot at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas–my home. It is my hope that this speaks to you and gives you insight into the struggles that faced our nation during that turbulent time and how grace might come through facing our past and asking for forgiveness.

a time to forgive

A Time to Forgive

 

There were nine—the Little Rock Nine. And Linda needed to ask their forgiveness

 

Linda sat in the passenger’s seat and stared in awe at the buildings passing by the window. Her heartbeat quickened, and her jaw dropped open. “Oh wow! I never thought everything would look the same.”

Her daughter, Tracey, glanced over from the passenger’s seat. “Everything?”

“Well, not everything, but so many of these buildings. They’ve spruced up a bit, but I’d recognize this city anywhere.”

“Yes, that’s why I wanted to stay near the older part of town last night. I remember you saying you lived not far from Main Street.”

            Linda sighed. “Yes, too bad our house isn’t there anymore. Although, it wasn’t anything special to look at even then. My dad was a butcher. He brought home the bacon but not much else. Still, we were thankful for what we had.”

Linda’s hands folded on her lap, and she wondered how long they’d be staying in Little Rock. She’d been happy to join her daughter Tracey on the drive from Chicago to her new home in Dallas after a job transfer. Linda had assumed that they’d drive through Oklahoma—that was the shortest route, but she’d been surprised to find herself in the city where she’d spent most of her teen years.

“I know you went to high school there, Mom,” Tracey had explained as she planned the detour. “I thought we could take half a day to drive around your old stomping grounds. You can tell me all the juicy stories.” Tracey had chuckled.

Linda had smiled then, but she couldn’t fake a smile now—no matter how hard she tried. Usually, she was an open book, but not this time. When she’d turned twenty, she’d been happy to leave Little Rock, her high school years, and all the memories. For all her life she’d been known as a good Christian woman, but if anyone knew how she’d acted in 1957, they would have been shocked. She took a deep breath and just hoped that she wouldn’t have to walk through the door to those memories today.

            “So, what are we going to do?” Linda asked. “I used to love to go downtown and have a picnic on the river. I imagine that area’s been spruced up.”

Tracey turned onto a road that Linda didn’t remember, called Daisy Bates Drive. “Actually, I was looking online and there’s supposed to be an interesting museum at Central High School. I think there was some type of big issue with desegregation. Didn’t you go to school around here at that time?”

Before Linda knew how to answer, the GPS told them to turn into a parking lot, and immediately she knew where she was. The small museum was across the street from an old Mobile gas station that appeared to have been frozen in time. And across from that, Central High School. A hundred memories came flashing back when Linda spotted it. Some of them were good, but the dark cloud of September 23, 1957, hovered over them all.

Tracey parked the car. A hand touched Linda’s.

            “Mom, are you alright. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Tears filled Linda’s eyes. “Tracey, there’s something I need to tell you. Something I haven’t told you before.”

“Mom, what is it?”

“We’re going to go into this museum, and you’re going to hear about how police escorted nine African-American students to the school—for their first day at Central—and how an angry mob with 1,000 white protesters and the National Guard blocked the way. So much rioting happened that the police had to lead the African-Americans away.”

Images of faces distorted with anger filled her mind’s ear. The roar of hate-filled voices echoed in her memories.

A Time to Forgive

            “So you were there, Mom? You remember it?”

Linda reached over and grabbed Tracey’s hand. “Honey, I was one of those protestors. I was only a sophomore myself. And in my mind’s eye, I was screaming more than anyone.”

Tracey’s breath caught in her throat. “Oh, Mom, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Honestly, I was afraid of what you’d think of me.”

“Mom, all of us do things we regret.” She turned in her seat to face Linda. “We can leave. We don’t have to go in.”

“Actually, I think we do. I think we’re here for a reason. God put this on your mind for a purpose. This is a part of my heart I’ve been trying to hide for too long.”

A Time to Forgive

Linda’s knees felt week as she walked through the front door of the museum. They walked side-by-side for a while, looking at the displays. Photos, audio, newsreels, all told the story of racial segregation and the events leading up to the Little Rock School Crisis.

A Time to Forgive

The school crisis started with the 1954 Supreme Court ruling stating that segregated schools were unconstitutional. Linda hadn’t paid much attention to the ruling until the summer before her sophomore year. That’s when she heard that there would be black students coming to her school. Even then, she hadn’t given it any more thought until she got to school. Then the more others talked about it, the angrier she grew. Why couldn’t her state, her school, decide for itself who could and who couldn’t enter their school?

            Linda was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t hear the woman approach, placing a hand on your arm. “Ma’am, we’re going to be giving a tour of the school in five minutes if you’d like to join us.”

“Yes, I’d like that.” She turned to Tracey. “Will you come with me?”

Tracey’s eyes were filled with questions. “Yes, of course, but are you sure?”

Linda nodded, and soon she found herself walking through the same front doors she had as a teenager. She listened as the national park’s tour guide told the story, and knots tightened in her stomach.

“Who would do that?” one teenager on the tour commented. “I mean people are people, right?”

            And, as they walked to the memorial across the street, Linda knew she had to speak.

A Time to Forgive

“May I say something?” Linda raised her hand. Then standing there, before the small group of people, she told her story. She told about how she’d let others’ hatred pile into her own heart. She shared how much being a follower had caused others pain. Linda swallowed down her emotion as she finished. Then she waited. She expected condemning words, but instead, she noticed compassion in the gazes of those around her.

            “That’s brave of you to come here,” one man said. “I’m sure it wasn’t easy.”

“No, it wasn’t but I only wish that I could go back. I wish …” She sighed. “I wish I could ask their forgiveness.”

Then, with a knowing smile, the tour guide approached her. “Why don’t you write a letter? I know some of the Little Rock Nine. It’s not a club they ever wanted to be, but they’ve used their platform to impact others in positive ways. I’d be happy to pass it along.”

“Really?”

“Yes, and include your return address. You never know if one of them will return a note.”

Linda nodded and crossed her arms over her chest. Tracey approached a placed an arm around her shoulders. “I’m proud of you, Mom, for sharing your story.”

            “Thank you,” she whispered, “for bringing me here. God knew I needed to get this off my chest.” She wiped a stray tear that threatened to break through. “I’m not sure exactly what I’m going to write, but I know the first sentence: Will you forgive me? And just knowing I can have the chance to write those words has lifted a huge boulder of burdens off my heart.”

A Time to Forgive

Our country needs healing. If you want to reach out in grace towards others and want ideas for how to help bridge the race divide in our country then you might want to read these posts as well:

YOU can be the answer to the race problem

 

Honoring Black History Month

How to Bring About Racial Reconciliation- Wisdom and Resources

Join me on a Free Virtual Tour of Little Rock!

Want to learn more and see the site of this historical landmark? Join me on a LIVE tour of Little Rock on Wednesday, February 10th at 2:00 pm or Friday, February 12th at 2:00 pm with www.virtualtrips.io
The tour shows Little Rock as being on the pathway for the Trail of Tears. On this trail, the Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, and Seminole tribes traveled through the state in the 1830s to new lands in the Indian Territory in modern-day Oklahoma. Visitors will also see a Civil War river crossing location. This tour will take place in Riverside Park, visiting local landmarks and markers. These include an Indian head carving, a Civil War marker, and a historical sculpture garden. We’ll also see the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge, and the tour will end in Downtown Little Rock for a glimpse of the city.
The tour is free and but accepts tips. I hope you’ll join me for this fun and informative tour of Little Rock.

A Time to Forgive was originally published in Mature Living Magazine, September 2017

by Leave a Comment

2020 is Just a Chapter of Our Stories | Bonnie Clark

Enter to win a copy of Taste Your Words!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
2020 is Just a Chapter of Our Stories. But with perseverance, we can lean into what God has for us in this season and not survive–but thrive. Today our guest Bonnie Clark shares how God is moving in her through the challenges of this year.

2020 is Just a Chapter of Our Stories

 

2020 has been a strange chapter in history for sure. The changes—some possibly permanent, the missed opportunities, our uncertain future. We’re all struggling in different ways. It seems unreal what is happening in our communities, and country and in our small world.

It’s like we’re living in a movie.

But even in the middle of this crazy year, I know deep in my heart that this is all part of our story. It’s part of my story because I am on this earth “for such a time as this” and recently, although I feel like they have missed out on so much, I’ve realized that 2020 is also a part of my children’s story too.

The writer in me has always loved a good story, and one that has always fascinated me is the story of the Titanic: The tale seems unreal. The ship was “unsinkable” and yet it went down in just a few short hours after hitting an iceberg in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean taking many lives with it to the bottom of the sea. The whole thing was like a bad dream that had come true.

But for me, what draws me in and still fascinates me to this day, are the incredible true stories within the story, of the people who were on the ship.

There were men who courageously and chivalrously ushered “women and children first” to safety.

There were men who cowardly dressed as women to get access to the lifeboats.

Wives chose to die with their husbands rather than be separated from them.

Musicians played to calm the crowd and then the music faded with their lives.

And there was a captain who valiantly went down with his ship.

Each person, through their individual choices, became a character in the story that we still tell today. There were victims and villains and victors.

AND HERE WE ARE.

The reality of Covid-19 on the world will one day be a story that we tell.

I’m not suggesting that this ship is going to sink. I’m quite hopeful that Covid-19 will go away, but the stories we tell about it will live on forever. What part are you playing in the story? What character and role have you assumed without even realizing it? Are you modeling courage and perseverance for your children?

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”- Shakespeare

2020 is just a chapter of our stories and the mission for a Jesus follower has not changed. It’s only become amplified. We are called to be a part of the story and to point people to the Storyteller.

Character is revealed in times of trial. So, who do you want to be? Who are you becoming during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020? What will be your story?

I want to be the Unsinkable Molly Brown. Who according to many accounts urged the rowers in her lifeboat to go back and rescue more people who were drowning in the dark sea. I want to be fearless with my words and actions. I want to try to help others from going under.

Buildings may be closed, but now we get to be the real church. We can show the world that “we are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.”

We can live with a spirit of peace and not fear.

Schools look different for our kids, but THIS is real school. We can teach our children to love and be kind to EVERYONE especially those who think, act, or look different from you. We can learn to taste our words and bring life and encouragement to those who are really struggling. Let’s allow kind words to be nourishment and compassion be our teachers in this shared human experience.

Kind words are like honey, sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. – Proverbs 16:24

 

2020 is Just a Chapter of Our Stories

We won’t all come out of this unscathed, but we can move forward with a deeper sense of awareness, gratitude, and faith. Heroic. That is the story I want to tell. I will not be pulled under by fear. I will create a story with my children that is worth telling. One of trust and truth and unsinkable faith.

The Storyteller invites us into the unfolding story of history. Let’s choose our part well, for ourselves and our children.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life so that you and your descendants might live!” – Deuteronomy 30:19

 

Bonnie Clark loves books that make her laugh, cry, or think for a long time. She has always enjoyed words and writing, but she has a special affection for picture books. Weekly trips to the library with her kids is one of her favorite things to do, and even though her older two are on to chapter books, they still enjoy listening to mom read a picture book.

When Clark isn’t writing and raising her kids, she does yoga, reads books, and drinks lots of coffee. Her favorite place in the world is ANY beach. She lives in Canton, Georgia, with her husband and their three children.

Learn more at bonnieclarkbooks.com or follow her on Facebook (Bonnie Clark Author), Twitter (@bonclark), Instagram (@bonnieclarkbooks), and YouTube (Bonnie Clark Books). 

More about Taste Your Words:

Teach kids about the power of words and the importance of kindness with this charming picture book that cleverly illustrates why we should think before we speak.

Amera’s having a bad day. Her best friend ruined her cupcake and they both said mean things. When Amera brings her bad mood home with her, her mom tells her to “taste her words.” Amera’s mean words taste like rotten eggs, spoiled milk, and lemons! As Amera realizes that her mean words make her feel bad and others feel worse, she starts saying the kindest, sweetest words she can find.

This picture book is an excellent resource for parents who want to teach their kids to think before they speak. With humorous text and lively illustrations, Clark and Bright make it easy for even the youngest children to understand the power of their words.

Purchase a copy of Taste Your Words here!

by Leave a Comment

Overcoming Dark Days as a Mom

Depression is not something that people like to talk about.  Especially as a mom, there is a stigma attached to these things.  Today I want to share my story about Overcoming Dark Days as a Mom.

 

Depression is not something that people like to talk about.  Especially as a mom, there is a stigma attached to these things.  Today I want to share my story about Overcoming Dark Days as a Mom.

Overcoming Dark Days

For the most part, I’m a happy person, but there was a time in my life where I wondered if I’d ever be happy again. My darkest time was when I was 17 years old and pregnant. Because of shame, I’d dropped out of regular high school. I’d had a rocky relationship with my boyfriend (to say the least), and he was dating a new girl within weeks of my pregnancy announcement. My friends at high school were going on with their senior year.

Even during the moments when I dared to be excited about my baby, sadness crept in. As my pregnancy progressed I was reminded—month by month—of the abortion I’d chosen to have just one-and-a-half years earlier.

The pain of my past decision added to the pain of my circumstances.

As my pregnancy progressed, I spent most days in bed, sleeping to noon. I didn’t want to see anyone, talk to anyone. During my free time, I worked on finishing the last of my high school credits, but part of me wondered what was the use. Wasn’t my life totally ruined? My dark emotions told me it was. I didn’t see any way towards overcoming dark days.

When I was down, I tried to remember the moments when I was happy. Amazingly, my happiest moments were spent as a child at church or with Christian friends. Maybe those memories were God’s way of wooing my heart. If so, they worked.

At six months along I turned back to Him, asking Him to take over my life, hoping He’d turn it into something good.

There are a lot of people who face very dark doubts of depression. My good friend Kristen Anderson is one of those people. I wrote Kristen’s story of trying to take her life by lying down in front of a train in the book Life, In Spite of Me. Thankfully Kristen’s story has a happy ending! She is a story of hope in overcoming dark days, for sure!!

 

Life, In Spite of Me By Tricia Goyer

 

I can’t say I’ve ever been to a place where the pain seemed too much to bear and suicide seemed like the only way out, but I do know what it’s like to feel as if life isn’t going to get better and hope is more elusive than a red- and white-striped hat in a Where’s Waldo book. It wasn’t a chemical depression for me. It was heart-full-of-sin-depression. I didn’t need medication or medical treatment (although I do think it’s necessary for some people). What I needed was to admit my mistakes and ask God to remove my sin.

People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.  PROVERBS 19:3

There was a time I ignored God and didn’t want to turn to Him because I didn’t like how my life was turning out. It took truthfulness—looking at my own heart—to realize I was the cause of my problems. I’d brought the pain on myself by choosing to become sexually active outside of marriage, by choosing to drink, by choosing abortion, by choosing to follow my desires instead of God’s Word.
 
I’m no medical professional, and I won’t try to give you advice about the type of depression I was facing. I will say that my dark, looming sadness and despondency were due to my own sin, and I had to start by looking at my own heart.
 
Do you find yourself hurting because of your own bad decisions? Ask yourself, “How much of my pain was brought on by my choices?” Then ask, “What would happen if I turned everything over to God?”

If you seek to find hope after making the wrong choices, God is waiting for the opportunity to take your pain. Not only will He replace that darkness with His light. He’ll also give you something greater than you can imagine: Himself.

 

Tricia Goyer shares in her post: Overcoming Dark Days as a Mom

 

My life has drastically changed since the moment I turned my life over to God. I won’t say I never have dark moments, but whenever I do I know where to turn. I know Who to turn to, and God never disappoints.

May the Lord meet you and begin overcoming dark days for you, especially as a mom! If you are in the midst of them- have hope and wait on Him!

~Tricia

P.S As I said earlier, my depression and dark days were not due to medical issues or chemical imbalances. Please seek help if your dark days are due to a medical need.

 

by 1 Comment

How to Stop Comparing and Walk in Freedom

The older I get the more I realize how important it is to know how to stop comparing and walk in freedom. Life is short and God has called us to so many things. This guest post from Shannon Popkin will help you focus on the freedom we can gain in Me-free living.

 

How to Stop Comparing and Walk in Freedom

By Shannon Popkin

 

I came running home after school, crying so hard I could barely talk. My mom dropped everything, and through my hiccupping sniffles, I told her my third-grade woes.

It had been a standardized testing day. As the teacher passed out tests, she had given all the smart kids a red test booklet, but I got a blue one—just like the rest of the class.

For a while now I had been worried that my placement in our school’s gifted program was a fluke. I was pretty sure I wasn’t as smart as the others, but since I loved the program so much, I kept my suspicions to myself.

Today, however, the truth had come out.

The teacher knew. The whole class knew. And I knew. I wasn’t one of the smart kids, and I had a blue booklet to prove it. Oh, the humiliation! I wanted to shrivel up, hide, and never go back. I just knew that all the kids were whispering to each other and telling their moms, “Shannon got a blue booklet!”

Looking back, my third-grade angst seems rather pitiful and absurd. Why was I so worried about being exposed as average in a room filled with other kids with blue booklets? Why was I shrinking in shame, convinced that all eyes were on me? But then, I could ask similar questions about the angst I feel today. Why do I worry about being exposed as a less-than-perfect mom? Or a middle-aged woman who struggles with her weight? Or a writer who’s less than perfect?

Since childhood, my heart has been aching to know one thing: How do I measure up?

Do you struggle with this as well? On social media, in your neighborhood, at church or even at a stop light, do you glance sideways and compare?

How to Stop Comparing and Walk in Freedom

When Jesus came, walking in sandals on dusty roads of Galilee, he encountered people who struggled with the same measure-up comparison we do. There were puffed up Pharisees, disciples elbowing past each other, and tax-collectors who could barely lift their heads. Everybody wanted to be first and despised being last. Yet Jesus doesn’t respond like I expect, saying, “Y’all need to stop comparing!” Instead Jesus told comparison stories—like the one about the good Samaritan or the wise and foolish builder. And he compared people in real life, like when he told Martha that Mary had chosen what was better, or when he said the widow who donated two coins had given the most. Jesus used comparison words and stories constantly, but always with a twist.

Jesus’s way of comparing was upside-down from how things stack up in the world.

 

In his kingdom, the last will be first. The greatest among us is the servant. The one who humbles herself will be exalted. In his kingdom, people aren’t rewarded for rising above, but rather for stooping to serve. The great ones aren’t those who push ahead, but rather those who put others first.

So as Jesus encountered people who were steeped in me-focused comparison, he kept inviting them to come be part of the kingdom of the me-free. Whether they were filled with angst because they didn’t measure up, or pride because they did, Jesus just kept opening wide the gate to the kingdom and saying, “Come follow me.” Still today, Jesus invites us to detangle ourselves from the comparison stress of the world and live as he did—emptying ourselves of status, pouring our lives out, and laying our lives down.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul extended the invitation of Jesus to a new group of people—inviting them to the same me-free living that Jesus had modeled. He wrote,

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:3-7 ESV).

When I enter a room full of people with the measure-up mindset of the world, I constantly glance sideways, worried about how I measure up. I posture or project a certain image. I shrink back or avoid vulnerability. No matter which way I turn, I’m obsessing with me-focused comparing which is thoroughly exhausting. But when I have me-free mindset of Jesus, I step into that same room free of worry, pride, and stress. I’m able to simply focus on the other people in the room; to really see them and open my life to them. I’m free to wonder if perhaps God placed me there with a purpose.

Perhaps I have something I’m supposed to give!

Friends, what if it doesn’t matter whether we have a red or blue test booklet? What if it doesn’t matter how big our house is or what size jeans we wear? What if the woman with the perfect-looking kids is missing the point by trying to outdo everyone, and the one with the failing marriage is nailing it with her extravagant humility? And what if the thing that does matter is using what we’re given—our smarts, our bank account, or our physical self—to lean down and lift others up?

This me-free living which Jesus invites us to is what restores our freedom, confidence, and joy.

 

How to Stop Comparing and Walk in Freedom

 

 

 Do you compare yourself?

On social media, in the neighborhood, at church, or the school drop-off lane, do you push yourself to prove that you measure up, then feel ashamed when you don’t? Measuring yourself against others isn’t healthy. And it isn’t God’s plan. In fact, the way of Jesus is completely upside down from this measure-up world. He invites us to follow him and be restored to freedom, confidence, and joy.

Join me as—with humor and straightforward honesty—I share what I’ve discovered about my own measure-up fears and get-ahead pride in this six-week study. Together, we’ll explore the conversations Jesus had and stories he shared with people who—like us—were comparing themselves.

Let’s leave measure-up comparison behind and connect with those around us by choosing Jesus’s me-free way of living: lifting others up and pouring ourselves out

Shannon Popkin is a wife and mom, a writer and speaker, a small group leader, and Bible teacher.

She shares her life with Ken, who–after 23 years–still makes her laugh every day. Together, they live the fast-paced life of parenting two college-aged kids and a teen.

As a mom, she loves cheering her kids on from the sidelines and taking pictures of them (can you hear them groaning?). They love to open their West Michigan front door to family and friends and are deeply invested in their local church. She’s delighted with every opportunity to invite women to live like God’s word is true.

Connect with Shannon at https://www.shannonpopkin.com/

by Leave a Comment

Walk It Out #107: Midnight Mom with Becky Thompson and Susan Pitts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS

This week on Walk It Out we're chatting about moms in the trenches with Becky Thomas and Susan Pitts authors of Midnight Mom Devotional! It's such a great episode you don't want to miss!

Midnight Mom with Becky Thompson and Susan Pitts

As a mom of ten kids, I’ve had my share of sleepless nights. Even more than the caring for babies, and the “mommy I had a bad dream moments” there have been lots of worries that have made me toss and turn. Some have been legitimate worries, like sick kids and struggling kids. But there have been even more nights when my imagination is my worst enemy. There are so many “what ifs” that can take my mind down negative thought-trails.

And it makes sense, our enemy’s goal is to make sure we cower in fear rather than stand in faith. He likes to come to us in the midnight hours when we’re exhausted and our defenses are down.

Yet, it’s also in these midnight hours that we can have a turning point. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” We guard our hearts by stopping those negative thoughts from circling around and around. Prayer helps us to turn our minds from our worries toward God instead. This is important for us and for our kids.

This week on Walk It Out we're chatting about moms in the trenches with Becky Thomas and Susan Pitts authors of Midnight Mom Devotional! It's such a great episode you don't want to miss!

One of the greatest things we can teach our children is to live in faith, rather than fear. Faith comes when we choose to believe God, even in the midnight hours.

Remember that God’s goodness to us and our children has not changed, even during scary times. The lessons we can teach our kids about trusting God will be ones they can cling to for a lifetime. But we have to practice first before we can teach our kids. And this is what the topic was on my recent podcast.

Today, my guests are Becky Thompson and Susan Pitts. And their ministry is toward those Mamas who are often up in the middle of the night for various reasons, especially due to worries and fears.

“There is something about the middle of the night that can feel so dark and lonely,” says this mother and daughter duo. “For the countless moms who spend many of their nights awake—whether they are nursing, worrying about a grown child, or finally taking a moment for themselves—it’s a time when all the stress and anxiety of the day can easily rise to the surface of their hearts.”

This week on Walk It Out we're chatting about moms in the trenches with Becky Thomas and Susan Pitts authors of Midnight Mom Devotional! It's such a great episode you don't want to miss!

And that’s where the Midnight Mom Devotional comes in. What began as a small online prayer ministry to encourage moms in the middle of the night quickly grew into a worldwide prayer movement.

Today on Walk It Out, we talk about the hearts behind these prayers, about the wonderful Facebook community, and about their new 365-day devotional. You’ll be inspired by this mother-daughter duo just as I was.

 

Who are Becky Thompson and Susan Pitts?

Becky Thompson is the author of the books My Real Story, Truth Unchanging, Hope Unfolding, and Love Unending and speaks frequently to the issues of balancing life as a wife, mother, and daughter of God. She is the founder of the Midnight Mom Devotional Facebook page and is also known to millions as the author of BeckyThompson.com, a blog that reaches a global audience of readers in need of hope, healing, and the Father’s love. A recent transplant to the Nashville area, she lives there with her husband, Jared, and their three young children.

This week on Walk It Out we're chatting about moms in the trenches with Becky Thomas and Susan Pitts authors of Midnight Mom Devotional! It's such a great episode you don't want to miss!

Susan Pitts lives in Oklahoma City with her husband, Marc. They have been married for 40 years and together host conferences and events, ministering across the state. Pitts spends much of her time as the Midnight Mom Devotional prayer director, praying for the thousands of requests that come in from around the world. She has two adult daughters and three grandchildren. In her free time, Pitts enjoys trying to keep her New England garden alive in Oklahoma red dirt soil.

You can order Midnight Mom HERE.

This week on Walk It Out we're chatting about moms in the trenches with Becky Thomas and Susan Pitts authors of Midnight Mom Devotional! It's such a great episode you don't want to miss!

About the Book:

This beautiful devotional was inspired by Thompson and Pitts’s Midnight Mom Devotional (MMD) Facebook page, which has more than 900k followers and reaches more than a million moms each night. Launched in 2016, Thompson created the page to encourage moms in the midnight hours, and it quickly grew into a worldwide prayer movement of women supporting each other through the challenges and beauties of motherhood.

However, Thompson’s and Pitts’ individual ministries to women go back much further than the launch of the Facebook page. Pitts, in particular, remembers praying for other moms as she held Becky as an infant.

“The day I went into labor (with Becky), Marc was out of town at a job interview,” writes Pitts. “A neighbor drove me to the hospital. I remember feeling very alone and scared even though I knew that Jesus was with me. When I went home later that week, I remember sitting in the rocking chair in the midnight hours. As I held baby Becky, I thought of the mommas who were having babies and who might also be feeling alone and scared, and I prayed for them. That was when the Midnight Mom prayer time started for me.”

This week on Walk It Out we're chatting about moms in the trenches with Becky Thomas and Susan Pitts authors of Midnight Mom Devotional! It's such a great episode you don't want to miss!

Like the Facebook page, the new devotional also provides an opportunity for moms to lift each other up and join in community since each of the brand new prayers has a line to write the name of the momma the reader is praying for that particular night. It also includes a topical index in the back for moms who need prayer for a specific situation—from depression and illness to pregnancy and homeschooling.

Women in the midst of motherhood who seek hope and community will love the way this devotional connects them to others in their same season of life. They’ll find that they are far less alone than they often feel.

“The night can be so dark and lonely,” writes Thompson. “But friend, it doesn’t have to be. We don’t have to feel all alone. Because there are women across the world all awake right now doing the very same thing you are. And there is a God who wants to meet you right where you are.”

 

Walk It Out Scripture

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3

If you are enjoying the show, I have a quick favor to ask! If you haven’t yet hit the subscribe button and left a rating and a review on iTunes, please take a moment and do so! I love reading your reviews and it keeps the algorithms happy so new listeners can find the podcast as well!

This week on Walk It Out we're chatting about moms in the trenches with Becky Thomas and Susan Pitts authors of Midnight Mom Devotional! It's such a great episode you don't want to miss!

Resources, books, and links mentioned in this episode:

This week on Walk It Out we're chatting about moms in the trenches with Becky Thomas and Susan Pitts authors of Midnight Mom Devotional! It's such a great episode you don't want to miss!

Connect with Becky Thompson and Susan Pitts

Website | MMD Facebook | Facebook | MMD Instagram | Instagram | Twitter

Connect with Tricia

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | BookBub



See more of Tricia’s Favorites here!

by Leave a Comment

Hard Places in Adoption and How Prayer Changes Things

Are you facing the Hard Places in Adoption and wondering How Prayer Changes Things? I hope my words might offer you a lifeline when you’re drifting into doubt.

 

Hard Places in Adoption and How Prayer Changes Things

No one would argue the fact that in our marriage John is more realistic, and I’m more idealistic. This is true when it comes to time and money—I always believe both will stretch more than they do. This has also been true of adoption, especially when it comes to adopting teens. I always believed deep down that as hard as things were everything would work out in the end.

From the beginning of our adoption journey, John reminded me it wouldn’t be easy. After all, our kids had childhoods marked with trauma before they entered our home. I’d nod as he reminded me of those things, but deep down I believed the right therapy, the right environment, and all the right love would bring miraculous transformations. And all these have in a way, but the fact is no matter how many right things I do it doesn’t erase what my kids have been through.

More than that, my right actions as a mom do not equal my children making good choices as they near or enter adulthood—that’s never guaranteed for any parent.

 

 

“Even if they turn eighteen and walk away from us, they’ll always know our love and hopefully God’s love,” John would tell me. I’d smile and agree, but still, I had unrealistic expectations. I couldn’t imagine after all I was pouring into these kids that they’d choose anything other than to stick around and accept the love and help we offered as parents.

 

There were three things I hadn’t taken into account though, things that I can’t control.

 

1. Healing from past trauma takes longer than anticipated.

 

 

I believe now that the only place my children will be fully healed is in heaven. The pain they faced on so many levels has changed how they developed mentally, emotionally, and even physically. It was foolish of me to think that the four years in our home could undo the twelve, thirteen or fourteen years of battering done to their minds, hearts, souls, and bodies.

 

2. Sometimes actions or reactions aren’t something kids from hard places can control.

Kids from hard places have learned to fight, freeze or flee as a way to protect themselves, and they may continue to do so in any situation they perceive as unsafe. Triggers don’t make sense to observers, but they set off very real emotions—emotions that are hard for anyone to control, especially young adults.

 

3. Every young adult makes mistakes—adopted or not.

 

 

I made stupid and destructive decisions when I was a teen and young adult, and I didn’t face even of the fraction of the hurtful experiences that my kids faced. No matter how well we parent, kids—all kids—must make their own choices. And very often they make poor ones.

I’ve been thinking about all these things because I do have teens and young adults making choices I don’t agree with. I ache because no matter how much I want to fix things…

 

Read the rest of Hard Places in Adoption and How Prayer Changes Things here:

https://www.thebettermom.com/blog/2020/3/4/hard-places-in-adoption-and-how-prayer-changes-things

Hard Places in Adoption and How Prayer Changes Things

The more I’m willing to open my heart and life to my children, the more willing they are to open theirs to me. And that is what all this healing is about. It’s opening up our hearts to our kids with a “me first” attitude and dealing with our kids’ anger by dealing with ours. It’s understanding that just as God has transformed us, He will do the same with our kids. And it’s realizing that dealing with the hard stuff of anger leads us to all the good places God’s wanted us to go to all along. It’s a journey of healing and of hope. It’s a hard journey but one I’m thankful I embarked on.

(Excerpt from Calming Angry Kids by Tricia Goyer)

Calming Angry Kids by Tricia Goyer

 

Calming Angry Kids

 

If you have a child who struggles with anger, or if you know a family that does, be sure to order Calming Angry Kids today. Each of us needs to wake up with hope and lay down in peace—you do, your kids do. Each of us needs to discover that with the right tools, overcoming anger is possible.

There is help. There is hope. And there can be calm.

“I felt as though Tricia was sitting next to me sharing her personal stories and giving me help, guidance, and encouragement for my own parenting journey. If you have a child who struggles with anger, sit with Tricia and let her encourage you as well.”

Jamie Ivey
Bestselling author of If You Only Knew, host of the podcast The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my newsletter, check out my podcast, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, or Instagram.

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.

 

by Leave a Comment

How to be Successful Unexpected Homeschooling Parents

How to be Successful Unexpected Homeschooling Parents

How to be Successful Unexpected Homeschooling Parents

When I started homeschooling 20 plus years ago, I shared the same fears that you might be experiencing today—fear of inadequacy, fear that my kids would fall behind, being unable to keep a good schedule, and losing my patience with my kids. However, after decades as a homeschooling mom, I’ve learned that I CAN manage all those things successfully–and you can too!

Here’s How to be Successful Unexpected Homeschooling Parents

Shift Your Perspective

If you consider school to be pages in workbooks completed, then sure, kids won’t get as many pages done. But if you shift your perspective and think about learning, discovery, and life skills—I believe that, during this time, kids will actually begin to get ahead in the things that really matter.

Develop a Love of Learning

Kids are naturally curious. Look for opportunities to foster that curiosity. If they’re asking you about your job as you work from home, answer their questions as you have time and share as much as you can about what you’re doing and why. The more your kids love learning, the more they will excel in school and life.

Trust God to Fill in the Gaps

On my son Nathan’s first day of college, I had a panic moment. I worried that I hadn’t properly taught him how to write an essay. Embarrassed, I apologized to him and then worried all day. At the end of the day, he came home excited and said, “Mom, don’t worry, in my writing class, our teacher is teaching us how to write essays.” I laughed at myself. I’d forgotten that teachers in college teach too. Nathan is now a writer himself.

School At Home Doesn’t Mirror Traditional School

How to be Successful Unexpected Homeschooling Parents

One of the biggest problems parents are having right now is getting their kids to work from 8am to 3pm. The truth is–they don’t need to! Because you can give them individualized attention, they actually don’t need that many hours to do schoolwork. Each day, help them get ready and work on school but don’t stress about sticking to a perfect plan. Things will get done. Just remember that your child’s character and emotional security during this time also matter.  They matter a lot. This is something none of us has had to go through before. We are all learning to adapt as we go and that’s okay.

Put On Your Oxygen Mask First

It’s so easy during times of high emotion to feel overwhelmed. Every morning I wake up before my kids to pray, spend time with God, and have some moments of peace and quiet. Having that hour to myself is my “secret” to being patient with my kids and feeling less overwhelmed—although I still feel that way sometimes, too! Give yourself grace and if you have stressful moments take a break and recenter. Take a walk outside, have a cup of tea, read a short devotional or step into another room and have a short prayer. I find that these small chunks of “me” time can help me get through days when things seem tense.

How to be Successful Unexpected Homeschooling Parents

Three of the most common issues I believe most are experiencing right now are balancing working from home (for their own jobs) with schooling their kids, staying motivated, and dealing with strong-willed children. Here’s some help and hope for those three situations.

Balancing Working From Home With School At Home

 

Know that it’s possible!

In the almost three decades that I’ve been homeschooling, I’ve also written over 70 books. What’s the key to balancing working from home and helping your kids with school? Intentional windows of time. Schedule windows of time that keep things moving. I wake up before my kids do and have an hour (sometimes more) of uninterrupted work before they get up. When they get up, I help them get ready and give them individualized attention for about three hours. After that, they can usually work independently, and I work on my work as they continue working on their own.

The key is not trying to do your own work, and help your kids with school, at the same time. Most of the time, that won’t go well.

 

Helping Kids Stay Motivated To Do School Work

 

Create Incentives

Tell your child that if they can do 45 minutes of work, they can help you bake cookies or some other activity they will look forward to. If kids know something fun is coming, they are more likely to do the work you’re asking them to do.

 

Approach Work Creatively

For assignments that don’t involve written work that has to be turned in, don’t be afraid to let them do the work differently. For instance, if your daughter has to answer a set of questions but doesn’t have to turn in the written work, sit down with her and ask her the questions out loud, and ask her to just speak her answers back to you. Not everything has to be written down for your child to learn. This is especially helpful for auditory learners.

 

Take A Break

You, and your child, both need breaks! For younger children, don’t try to work for longer than 25-30 minutes without giving them a break. Even traditional school days are broken up into “chunks” of learning and breaks. The older the child, the longer the chunks of learning can be. No one expects you or your child to sit eight hours a day in strict reading, writing, or arithmetic lessons. That would be mind-numbing.

How to be Successful Unexpected Homeschooling Parents

 

Teaching the Strong-Willed Child at Home

 

My daughter Leslie is extremely strong-willed, and getting her to do her schoolwork was a daily fight. Here’s what I’ve found helps when teaching a strong-willed child:

 

Narrow The Choices

Offer two choices, and make it clear that your child must pick between the two choices. This helps them have some level of control while establishing healthy authority as a parent.

Stand By Your Word

If your child disagrees, don’t give in. Once they realize that bad behavior won’t get them what they want, they will back down.

 

Focus Their Strong-will On Positive Things

Help her channel her energy into positive activities at home, like exercise, musical instruments, or writing.

 

Fill Their Love Tank

Even while at home, take steps to speak your child’s love language. Make their favorite breakfast, make a special dessert or coffee drink and
sit with them on the couch, or take a walk just the two of you. As you build that relationship, they will start to open up and trust you more.

 

How to be Successful Unexpected Homeschooling Parents

One of the main concerns I’m hearing during this time is how to teach multiple children and helping them regulate their emotions during a stressful time. There are so many ways to help your children process their grief and stress and to stay on track with learning in the process. Here are some things that I’ve found have helped me through the years with my own ten children.

Figure Out Who Needs the Most Help

Evaluate your kids and figure out who needs the most help with what assignment. Work with that child on their most challenging assignment, and let the other children do assignments that come more easily to them. Remember, “fair” is not everyone getting the same thing, it’s everyone getting what they need to succeed. Three of my children have Dyslexia and require different teaching strategies than my other children. And that’s okay! Having to wait or share their parent/teacher makes my other children more compassionate to others. Being able to understand and process information and learning quickly is a gift from God that we should all be grateful for. Helping kids understand that can make them kind and gentle-hearted as well.

Assign Older Kids to Help Younger Kids

Older kids often love feeling “needed” and responsible, and this also gives you a break. Help older kids find ways they can teach younger kids, even if it’s just reading aloud to them.

How to be Successful Unexpected Homeschooling Parents

Talk to your child’s teacher

Don’t be afraid/ashamed of asking your child’s teacher for help. If you’re trying to teach six kids at six different grade levels at once—ask the teachers for help. Everyone is new to this arrangement, and everyone is trying to figure things out!

Find things you can do together

how to be sucessful unexpected homeschool parents

Here’s an idea–cooking together. One thing everyone can do together is cooking, and it can be educational. Look up articles about WWII rationing online, and teach your kids to cook simple recipes that only involve a few ingredients. Cooking can become a history lesson (learning about rationing), a science lesson (“Let’s talk about how yeast works”), and a reading lesson (“Read this recipe for us!”) all at once!

 

Helping Kids Regulate Emotions During the “School Day”

 

As parents to 7 adopted kids, my husband, John, and I know BIG emotions.  We’ve been through some rollercoaster ups and downs as we’ve learned to help our kids navigate their emotions (and our own!)

I remember when we first brought our teen daughters home. In the first week, there was a moment when all four girls had a meltdown. One was trying to climb out of the window, one was yelling, and another was crying. I was shocked, afraid, and heartbroken. That certainly wasn’t what we had expected. But through it all, we learned. We grew. We became a family who loves and helps each other through the hard times with grace and compassion.

 

Calming Angry/ Upset/ Scared Kid’s Down

 

Be There For Them

Remember this is a stressful time for everyone. Your priority isn’t your kids’ school, it’s your child’s safety and comfort. Use this as a time to help them learn how to process stressful events, and give them lots of grace. Give yourself lots as well.

Stay Calm Yourself

We learned from a counselor early on that our adopted girls would try to get us to escalate, so that it would become about us, instead of the girls. If we stay calm, we can focus on the girls’ behavior. Keep the main thing the main thing. Don’t follow them off on wild goose trails. Keep focused on the issue at hand and keep yourself in a level set of mind. Remember, you are the parent, you are the adult.

 

Create a Calming Bag

I created a bag for my kids with things to calm them down like Scripture verses, Play-Doh, and bubbles. Just the act of taking a deep breath and blowing bubbles can help a child calm down. You can also have the child wash their hands or take a warm shower- the warm water will calm them down.

How to be Successful Unexpected Homeschooling Parents

Use this Time to Develop Your Kids Spiritually

Don’t get caught up in obsessing over your children’s schoolwork. Help them out, but trust that
God will fill in the gaps. Pray, find teachable moments, and remember God has a different view
of success than the world does!

Pray

Prayer is the best thing you can do. Pray God will open your eyes to see Him during this time. Pray for patience—and if you’re worried your kids will fall behind academically, pray that they stay diligent and develop a love of learning during this time!

Find Teachable Moments

Look for ways to use the movies you watch, books you read, and situations you encounter during this pandemic to teach your kids about trusting God and serving others. Write letters to neighbors or elderly friends and family who can’t interact with others. Share games with families in your neighborhood. Make masks or treats for nurses and doctors in your local hospital. Make a family prayer list and post it on the wall for everyone to see.

 

Remember God’s View of Success

If you and your kids learn just one thing during this time of homeschooling, let it be that success in this world is different than success in
God’s eyes. While your kids do need to do the work they are assigned, focus on seeking God first as a parent and as a family—and you will not fail your kids.

Matthew 6:33- Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things will be added to you.

No matter what, try to remember this–this too shall pass. This is a tough time but I believe we will get through if we all work together and trust God to guide us.

Here are other posts you might find helpful:

Praying God’s Word For Your Family Today

Over 200 Free Resources and Help for “Schooling at Home”

Kids’ Journals Help Children Focus on Good Things

Have you checked out my homeschool success course yet?

Let me share all the practical tips and tricks I’ve learned to:

—Homeschool multiple levels in four hours a day.

—Understand the basics of homeschool laws and what your kids need to graduate and go to college.

—Discover your gifts as a homeschool teacher.

—Finding extra help for special needs kids.

…and so much more!

Here is my welcome module to give you a glimpse of this course!

 

YOU can give the gift of a homeschool education to your family by joining me here: www.homeschoolsuccesscourse.com 

 

 

by Leave a Comment

Over 200 Free Resources and Help for “Schooling at Home”

Over 200 Free Resources and Help for "Schooling at Home"

Over 200 Free Resources and Help for “Schooling at Home”

 

I’ve been thinking about your family during this time and found Over 200 Free Resources and Help for “Schooling at Home” to share. I’m hoping this will help you thrive as a family while at home this spring.

It’s been a busy, hopping week over here. Even with all the crazy quarantine schedules, life in the Goyer house never has a dull moment! It’s been so much fun watching all of your #familyeasteropenhouse posts and seeing the ways you are making memories with your family. I am so thankful we live in a time where, because of the internet, we can still connect. Projects like this are such a fun way to celebrate! Here are a few photos of some of our crafts and projects for #familyeasteropenhouse.

First, we made resurrection gardens. (You can find the link on how to make one .) We planted clover, and hopefully, by Sunday, it’ll look like a hillside with an empty tomb!

 


The kids also decorated eggs Martha Stewart style! We used food dye, paper towels, water, and vinegar. You can see the how-to .

Free Resources and Help for “Schooling at Home”

Schooling at Home?


How are things with your kids at home? Whether you are a seasoned homeschooler, or your children have just come home because of Covid-19, this is a challenging time. Remember, this is out of the ordinary for even those of us who are used to having our children home during the day. We have co-ops, and sports and extra-curricular activities that are all at a halt. Field trips and loads of other events have been canceled. It’s surreal for all of us. Don’t imagine that this is what homeschooling is always like.

For us mamas especially, it’s important to make sure your mental health is being cared for. Keeping up with some sort of routine, while finding your new normal, is important. Spend LOTS of time outside.

Seriously, it is a huge blessing this is all happening in the spring, with the gorgeous weather. Can you imagine if this was going on during the dead of winter? What a mercy that we can take a walk, get outside in the sunshine, and enjoy this weather and God’s creation.

Free Resources (Not just for kids!) Plus Help for “Schooling at Home” 

My team has put together a list of over 200 amazing resources and courses for you. This is a load of great education for all ages. From the tiny tots to the parents, there are some wonderful sites on this PDF. Yes, you can go to the Smithsonian, tour Yellowstone or travel to Paris without leaving home!

I’m especially looking forward to every Wednesday, where there will be free, online, worship-painting classes with Blossoming Hearts Studio on Facebook. And don’t forget about the free Lamplighter audiobook too!

The list also has sites for every homeschooling subject you can imagine. Pass this on and share it with your friends: Free Resources for The Whole Family.pdf

 

 

Click to download the FREE PDF.

 

 


Recently, I did a value-packed video that answers tons of questions and has loads of How-To’s. This comes from my personal experience homeschooling, working from home, and having a mega-sized family. More How-Tos


You might also enjoy the book that Kristi Clover and I wrote . Combined between the two of us we have met with just about every situation. 

homeschooling basics

 

Over 200 Free Resources and Help for “Schooling at Home”

 


Recently on , I chatted with my friend Kathi Lipp about her book This book is about preparing your heart and home for any crisis big or small. Maybe you have prepared for a crisis. Maybe you wish you had done better. Kathi and I talk about her wake-up call of NOT being prepared during their house fire. It’s then she realized how she hadn’t prepared for crisis. And now it’s Kathi’s goal to help you deal with the current crisis with confidence. I loved this chat because it helped me to see how I was unprepared for our current crisis.

You can listen on iTunes, your favorite podcast app, or .

The of Ready for Anything was made available from her publisher released it two months early!

Walk It Out Episode #93 Ready for Anything with Kathi Lipp! How can you be prepared for anything? Kathi Lipp and I chat about it on this week's episode! You don't want to miss it! Enjoy!

 

Her book is amazing, and Kathi is offering loads of PRE-ORDER BONUSES if you order by May 19.

Ready For Anything

 

 

Then after you have ordered, fill out the form below for your free bonuses:

 

FREE BONUSES


Focus on the Family

Tuesday, I was interviewed on Focus on the Family about homeschooling. They are getting SO many questions, they put the episode up in two days!

I know so many need encouragement right now. I pray that the words that I spoke will be a breath-of-hope and a shot-in-the-arm of inspiration.

You can listen.


This is a throwback, but from what I’ve been seeing online … this interview about how to help angry kids might be just what you need right now. You can listen to the interview .

Rebel Parenting

Recipe Cards

Oh and one last thing! Remember a couple of newsletters ago where we talked about rationing? Here are the recipe cards my team made for you!

Download the recipe cards and .

 

 

Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my email updates, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram.

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.

by Leave a Comment

Join the #FamilyEasterOpenHouse

by 1 Comment

Rationing, Recipes, and Teaching Real Life

Rationing, Recipes, and Teaching Real Life. There're many ways to teach children. Learning about WWII rationing at the store is just 1 idea. Check out Tricia's blog post for more and FREE RECIPE PRINTABLES and WWII Ration Card.

Rationing, Recipes, and Teaching Real Life

We all want to teach our kids about real life. And there are so many ways to do that. For instance, just going to a grocery store and learning to prepare simple meals are life skills we can teach our kids. Even though going grocery shopping and cooking during a pandemic may be a chore, it’s certainly not like it was during World War II. Today let’s talk about Rationing, Recipes and Teaching Real Life.

Rationing:

During the war, many things were rationed (although I don’t think toilet paper was…). This meant families were only allowed a small amount each. Some items weren’t available at all.

If you’re looking for a way to teach cooking and history together, here’s a solution. Let’s talk about World War II food rationing.

I wrote a book set during WWII. In Where Treetops Glisten, my main character, Meredith, is a nurse on the war front. During Christmas 1945 she is stationed in The Netherlands, and the fighting is thick in the Battle of the Bulge. 1945 in The Netherlands was considered the “Hunger Winter” because there was so little food. Things weren’t nearly as bad in the United States, but everyone sacrificed so the troops could have food.

 

ration bookSugar, butter, and meat were rationed, but that was only a start. Here is a list of other food items rationed during the war:

Sugar: May 1942 – 1947
Coffee: November 1942 – July 1943
Processed foods: March 1943- August 1945
Meats, canned fish: March 1943 – November 1945
Cheese, canned milk, fats: March 1943 – November 1945

 

Recipes:

With the rationing came recipes.

A typical recipe ad contained between three and six recipes, sometimes as many as a dozen or more. Some advertisers like Frigidaire and Armour also offered free ration-oriented cookbooks containing, on average, about eighty recipes. Even Lysol, which had nothing to do with food preparation except cleaning up the kitchen afterwards, offered its free “Victory Cook Book” of eighty-one recipes with every purchase of the disinfectant.

 

 

Rationing, Recipes, and Teaching Real Life. There're many ways to teach children. Learning about WWII rationing at the store is just 1 idea. Check out Tricia's blog post for more and FREE RECIPE PRINTABLES and WWII Ration Card.

 

 

Want to try one of these recipes? Why not try Chocolate Potato Cake?

Here’s a recipe for Chocolate Potato cake from the cookbook, “Dressy Dishes from Your Victory Garden.” Print the recipe.

This is what the introduction for the dessert section said:

“Guess-Again” Desserts

Desserts from the Victory Garden? Cross our heart … and watch the plates cross the table for “seconds” when you serve such ingenious delicacies as Carrot Pudding, Tomato Spice Cake or Carrot Pie. Their good taste hides their secret, of course … no one would ever guess they’re just bursting with vitamins and came right out of the garden.

Another recipe you can try is Salmon Loaf Recipe.

 

Teaching Real Life:

Maybe these don’t sound very appetizing. But if you’re getting weary from cooking three meals a day for your big family, maybe it’s time to teach them how to cook. I’ve found several recipes that I think work well for teaching kids how to make a meal.

Here are a few things that are important to me when it comes to recipes:

1. Recipes should be cost-effective.

2. Recipes should have ingredients I have on hand.

3. Recipes should be easy, things I can teach my kids to make.

4. Recipes should take less than 15 minutes to prepare. (Which means less grumbling

from me!)

5. Recipes should be able to feed a lot of people.

6. Recipes should be ones my kids enjoy. (Less grumbling from them!)

To make this easier, I’ve included a free printable of my family’s top 5  Ingredient Recipes!!

Rationing, Recipes, and Teaching Real Life. There're many ways to teach children. Learning about WWII rationing at the store is just 1 idea. Check out Tricia's blog post for more and FREE RECIPE PRINTABLES and WWII Ration Card.

 

Rationing recipe cards

Rationing recipe cards pg 2

Tweet “What did rationing and recipes look like during WWII? Find out on Tricia Goyer’s blog”]

Rationing, Recipes, and Teaching Real Life

For rationing discussion questions and recipes, download the free printable!

 

Rationing, Recipes, and Teaching Real Life. There're many ways to teach children. Learning about WWII rationing at the store is just 1 idea. Check out Tricia's blog post for more and FREE RECIPE PRINTABLES and WWII Ration Card.

Verified by MonsterInsights