A couple of years ago, I became captivated with the possibilities for our family if we could learn to really listen to God and to each other. We began intentionally listening as a way of life. This focus informed our parenting, transformed our marriage, and launched us on the adventure of a lifetime. And it […]
What Your Kids Need (It May Surprise You)
Recently I asked seasoned parents for one piece of advice on how to parent my children through this time of transition (read more about that here) in our family. I also asked several adult friends who went through stressful childhood transitions (everything from illness to missionary life in multiple countries) and asked them what they […]
It’s so much Fun, Your Kids Won’t Realize How Much They’re Learning
Fear of failure prevents most adults from developing their ability to discern God’s voice. So in our family we practice listening to God and listening to each other. That way, when we’re faced with difficult decisions, we’re comfortable seeking God for direction. Here’s a delicious and fun way to practice discerning God’s voice and building […]
I Will Share this Message as long as I Live
I’ve completed a circle 20 years in the making. The day before my 18 birthday, I traveled to the island of Sardegna as a student. God recently (and unexpectedly) brought our family back to Sardegna as missionaries, and I just spent my 38 birthday here. My extended family in the US spent that day celebrating […]
I Was Perfectly Happy until this Happened…
My six year old said it best when he yelled “I was perfectly happy until you asked me to do the dishes, and now everything is ruined!”. I might have dismissed his childish outburst, but honestly, I felt the same way. We’d just learned that our latest attempt to get visas to remain in Italy […]
Why You’re Missing out as a Parent (It’s not what You Think)
When I initially started this blog, I thought it would address the question we hear a lot as parents of young children in a house church: “What do you do with the kids?” This question gets at what matters most to me. But the more I search the Bible and my own heart, the more […]
And that’s When I Heard the Words Every Parent Dreads
If you’re new in these parts, here’s what you need to know about my family for this to make sense: listening to God and obeying Him is our top priority we have five kids ranging from 1-13 we’re staying at a campground in a somewhat remote location on the Italian island of Sardinia while we […]
And That’s when I Realized I’d Made a Terrible Mistake
There’s nothing like a journey across a foreign country by bus, train, and boat to highlight your weaknesses as a parent. Even though your summer plans might not be quite as involved as ours, applying this principle will make your job easier, help your family have more fun this summer, and prepare your children for […]
How to Bring the Bible to Life for your Kids
Last week I shared about the difficulties we’re facing . If you haven’t read that post, you can read it here. Even though I’ll be honest with you about what we’re going through, this blog isn’t about our family. It’s mostly about God’s family. So I’ll only share about us if it serves you in […]
If You Were Jealous of Me, You Won’t be after Reading This:
A few weeks ago I shared about how our family was accepting God’s invitation to join what He was doing in Italy. Many friends (lovingly) expressed jealousy of the adventure we were embarking on. That’s about to change. Shortly after we arrived 10 days ago, we learned our visa paperwork needed to be completed before […]