How to be Busy at Home

by Polly Wick on May 24, 2013

Written by Contributor Polly Wick

Recently, I took the 30 minute online test to discover my 5 core strengths. Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath has been on the NY Times bestseller list for weeks.  The premise of the book is that we should focus on our strengths rather than our weaknesses. Hmm, what a concept!

The strengths I identified came as no big surprise to me but the detailed descriptions of each strength was fun to read and the suggestions of how to use them more fully turned out to be helpful. The take-away for me  was,  if we can come to a peaceful resolve with the woman God made us to be and focus upon our strengths we will be better wives, mothers and grandmothers.

What I like to do and do best is to be busy at home. Paul tells Titus that older women should teach younger women what is good. He lists being busy at home as one of those things.

Here is a list of  a few of my favorite things to be busy with and that helped our family when my kids were young. Hopefully my list will give you some ideas that you can build upon as wives and mothers in the home.

TIPS for How to Be Busy at Home

  • Make the changing seasons a focus in your home. 

Use the flowers or leaves from the season, a book or poem that captures the mood, art that inspires and is fun to look at. Dedicate a place on a table that will become the changing still-life display. Art project, meals and outings can all celebrate the 4 seasons.

Plan for it. Make it a priority. It will take time to shop and cook for the evening meal but the benefits last a lifetime. Give the children a napkin ring and placemat that is theirs alone. make it a ritual to light candles and say grace before eating the meal.

  • Know your strengths.

Spend time doing what you’re good at and what you enjoy. Don’t spend years trying to improve upon your weaknesses.

  • Garden while the children play outside. 

As they play you can weed, plant or pick. Let the rhythm of their play lend to the rhythm of yours.

  • Celebrate your husband’s arrival home.

Anticipate the wind-down time he’ll need to transition. Give him the gift of a peaceful entry back to his home and family.

  • Establish a hurry-free tone in your family.

Have breakfast and lunch making items in order and clothes and shoes ready to go. Give yourself time for quiet, devotions and thanksgiving before the day begins. If the intention is there, time can be found.

  • Set up a craft table to work on projects with your kids (or grandkids) and make it a place for you too.

Making Christmas and birthday gifts is fun, meaningful for the receiver and will cost less too. Play and give yourself time to express your creative side.

“Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” Titus 2:4-5

 

Do you know your strengths? Take some time to list your strengths. Then let them show up in your day and in your home. Be busy with the things and the people you love.

You’ve got to accentuate the positive,

eliminate the negative,

latch on to the affirmative,

and don’t mess with Mister in-between.

 

About Polly Wick

Polly 2Polly Wick is a wife, mother of two grown children and grandmother to Madeline. Polly pieces together a handmade life with passion to teach, write, nurture, create beauty and serve. Polly teaches Pray With Ink, a workshop built on the foundation of prayer, using journal writing as a sweet and intimate way to pray to the Lord. Pray With Ink is designed for women who have found themselves to be strangers in their own life.

Besides writing her blog, Pray With Ink, Polly facilitates life changing workshops and retreats creating a warm and inviting environment and offers writing exercises that focus on gentle healing, daily prioritization and creating a vision for the future filled with passion and delight. Polly and her husband Tom attend Scottsdale Bible Church.

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Welcome to My World Wednesday

by admin on May 22, 2013

boys on rock

After a fluke snowfall just a few days before, we took advantage of the blue sky and 50 degree weather and headed for a walk on the coastal trail in Anchorage.

boys on whale

In Alaska, when the snow felts, the flip-flops come out. That day, however, I was still in my warm, toasty boots. :-)

mountain

We have yet to learn all the names of the mountains. There are so many. They call out to my heart and remind me of the glory and majesty of our loving and awesome Creator. I love seeing them!

Noah on swing

Noah Johnny continues to woo our hearts with his cute ways. He loves the swing and his giggles show it!

Costco
The closest Costco is 45 minutes away so I’m learning to shop for 2-4 weeks of groceries. Can’t believe we needed a flatbed cart! I feel so blessed to have a full house. With more children comes more provision! We are so thankful. I shopped like crazy with little thought about how we’d fit it in our Suburban with 9 of us, a stroller and scooters. Eric saved the day with his master packing skills. I was considering tying things to the roof. Thankfully, we didn’t have to do that!

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My Laundry Organization Philosophy

by Ashley on May 20, 2013

A philosophy? Really? Okay maybe this is taking the laundry thing a bit too far. But come on! The never-ending piles can make any mom shake her head in dismay. In our house of 9, the laundry was overflowing and it was time to do some troubleshooting.

I was desperate for a better system. But what did I need? A bigger laundry room? A designer laundry system? A maid? (There was no need to answer the last one. It was a given…YES!)

I had mentioned at our March conference that I needed revelation on my way of doing laundry. You know what? I got some!

Laundry Evaluation

The victory came when I identified where I was getting stuck. I found where the bottleneck was in the procession of laundry from the dirty laundry hamper into the dresser drawer.

Ask yourself…

  • What part of the laundry process do I enjoy (dare I say it) or am successful with? Washing? Sorting? Folding? Putting laundry away?
  • What part do I dread? Where do I get stuck along the way?

I need laundry organization!

 

Does this look familiar to anyone? Laundry traffic jam!

For me, I had some parts of my system working to my satisfaction. Most mornings, I’d pop one load of laundry in the washer. It was one of children’s morning jobs to move it from the washer to the dryer.

But once the clothes made it out of the dryer and into the laundry basket, everything came to a dead halt. I would only take time to fold 1-2x a week resulting in a massive pileup of clean and wrinkled laundry.

My Laundry Solution: Cubbies

 

Laundry organization

Now this is a sight for sore eyes! When the laundry comes out of the dryer, I sort it into each respective cubby. Each child in our family has a cubby with the extra box labeled “Socks.”

Each child (age 4 and older) is responsible to bring his box upstairs every afternoon when we tidy the house. They hang up their shirts and sweatshirts and fold the rest. It gives me a chance to train the younger ones how to fold as well. I was surprised how my four year olds enthusiastically care for their clothes.

I’ve long given up on my children having tidy drawers. You’ve got to pick your battles :-) . Currently, especially with the younger ones, I’m trading in tidy drawers for put away laundry.

This system was a $120 find at Costco. It was a gamble at first. I didn’t know if it would solve my laundry problems. However, I reasoned that if I changed my system again, this sturdy piece of furniture wouldn’t go to waste. With seven children, I could find multiple uses for these cubbies in our house.

 

*Here’s a do-it-yourself version of my laundry sorter. It uses laundry baskets instead of canvas boxes. Because my goal was to do less and train my kids of all ages to do more, I needed a lighter, kid-friendly sorter.

This might not be the solution for you. But it has done wonders for me because it solves my “I don’t want to take time to fold clothes when I’d rather be doing ___________” problem! :-) Now that is money well spent!

Find your sticking point and ask the Lord for solutions. He always gives us the revelation we need. Also ask friends how they manage. Jump on Pinterest.

Making a small change can have a big impact on how your home functions!

Where do you get stuck in the laundry process? What solutions have you found make a difference for you? Please share! Another mom might really benefit from your system!

 

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Welcome to My World Wednesday: My “Portal”

by Ashley on May 14, 2013

Every Wednesday, I will be sharing a few snapshots into my world…you know, the good, the bad and the beautiful! In any case, I promise to keep it real.

We moved to Alaska 6 weeks ago. We’ve been slowly getting settled. I just love making a home! It’s be a joy meeting so many wonderful new people. But I must admit, I’ve had to grieve the loss of some precious friends back in Oregon. I’ve learned that with every change comes gain and loss. And I’m learning, it’s up to me to choose the joy of Jesus in the midst. But there have been some tears.

chair with Bible

Welcome to my portal. My open heaven. My sweet spot. Do you have a place like this? In Oregon, I loved waking up before the sun would rise and walk to the back room in my house where I had my desk. It was a little 10 x 10 room crammed with 2 desks, a toy shelf and a closet overflowing with little boy clothes. This room wouldn’t have made it into an interior design magazine. But it was beautiful to me because it was where I so tangibly encountered the presence of Jesus.

When we moved, I reserved a bedroom for my “office” but found when I awoke in the early morning (which is very light because the sun seems to rise around 4am up here right now :-) ) I wasn’t drawn to my desk as I was before but to this sunny spot in my living room. The window is bathed in morning light and I have placed 2 of my grandmother’s antique chairs there. I sit and I am instantly at peace.

As we’ve been in transition and settling, it has been hard to live without my “sweet spot.” But this week, I’ve found it. It’s official. It’s my special place with Jesus where I can meet Him face to face. And now that I’ve purposed this place, I can feel at home anywhere.

Where is this sacred place for you? If you don’t yet have one, ask Jesus to help you carve out a spot just for the two of you. Add some special, beautiful touches and go there with great expectation.

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Supernatural Mothering is Here!

by Ashley on December 10, 2012

I have a secret to share…

Well, you all know I’m eight months pregnant. So that’s not it! Around here, if we ever announce we have news, everyone assumes we are having a baby! They’re usually right! :-)

I am birthing something but this time it’s a ministry for moms like you and me! And I wanted you to be among the first to know.

THE MINISTRY:

Supernatural Mothering where God’s Presence and Power Invade Motherhood.

We’re hosting our 1st conference March 15-17, 2013 in Salem, Oregon!

It will be a life-changing encounter week-end with Jesus, Supernatural Mothering and Bethel Church’s Dream Culture!

Watch the short promo to hear all the juicy details!

For more information about this dynamic week-end and to register, go to supernaturalmothering.org.

Want to help spread the word?

Why not….

  • Post the promo video on Facebook or Twitter using this code: http://youtu.be/Zi5BIi69-eU
    blog buttonShare our button.

  • Share this post

Feel free to contact me with questions!

I’d love to see each of you there!

 

 

 

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Advent Activites for Kids: The Names of Jesus (Part II)

by RebekahNafziger on November 28, 2012

Whether or not your family chooses to use this study of Jesus’ Names for your Advent season, it’s an enriching study to do any time of year. It will likely launch you into more of the names of Jesus and into exploring the names/titles of God the Father.

There are several appropriate devotionals to take you further:

As you share the verses with your children from these titles of Jesus, examine the context surrounding the references. You may wish to read more of the chapter than is indicated.

Find Part I of this study for the preparation, procedures our family enjoys, and the first 15 names/titles of Jesus.

16. Cornerstone
I Pet. 2:6
Hymn: Praise Him, Praise Him!

17. the Amen
Rev. 3:14
Larnelle Harris “Amen”

18. Man of Sorrows
Is. 53:3
Hymn: Hallelujah, What a Savior

19. the Lord of Glory
I Cor. 2:8
Hymn: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross; I Will Sing the Wondrous Story

20. Image of the Invisible God
Col. 1:18; 2 Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:3
Hymn: Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

21. Sun of Righteousness
Mal. 4:2
Hymn/Carol: Hark, the Herald Angels Sing

22. the Lord our Righteousness
Jer. 23:6
Hymn: Nothing But the Blood

23. I AM, Yahweh, Jehovah (self-existant, unchanging)
Jn. 8:58; Ex. 3:14; I Tim. 3:16; Jn. 8:24, 28; Jn. 18:5-6
Mark Lowry: “Mary, Did You Know?”; Yahweh by Desperation Band (Kari Jobe); He Is Yahweh by Vineyard

24. the Almighty
Rev. 1:8
Hymn: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty; At the Cross; Holy, Holy, Holy

25. Jesus, Savior
Acts 13:23; Titus 2:13; Matt. 1:21; I Jn. 4:14; Luke 2:11; 2 Pet. 3:18; Titus 2:13
Hymn: Christ Arose; Jesus Saves by Priscilla Owens; And Can It Be that I Should Gain?

26. Creator of all things
Col. 1:16
Hymn: All Creatures of Our God and King

27. Upholder of all things
Heb. 1:3
Hymn: Fairest Lord Jesus

28. the Great High Priest
Heb. 4:14; Heb. 5:6; Heb. 3:1; I Tim. 2:5; Heb. 7:25
Hymn: What a Friend We Have in Jesus; Isaac Watts “Jesus, My Great High Priest”

29. the Power and Wisdom of God
I Cor. 1:24; Prov. 8:12, 22
Hymn: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

30. the Rock
Matt. 16:18; Ps. 31:2; Ps. 61:2; Ps. 62:7; 2 Sam. 22:47; Ps. 19:14; I Cor. 10:4
Hymn: The Solid Rock; A Shelter in the Time of Storm

31. the Everlasting God
Heb. 1:8; Is. 40:28
Hymn: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

32. Lion of the Tribe of Judah
Rev. 5:5
Crystal Lewis: Lion and the Lamb

33. Bright, Morning Star
Rev. 22:16; Rev. 2:28; 2 Pet. 1:19
Hymn/Carol: Near the Cross by Fanny Crosby

34. Faithful and True
Rev. 19:11
Hymn: Be Still, My Soul

35. the Righteous Judge
2 Tim. 4:8; Acts 17:31
Hymn: Rejoice, the Lord is King

36. Alpha and Omega
Rev. 1:8; Rev. 21:6; Col. 1:12-17
Hymn: Revelation Song (contemporary); All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

37. King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Rev. 17:14; Rev. 19:16
Hymn/Carol: What Child is This; Soon and Very Soon; O Holy Night; O Worship the King

How can any study of the names of Jesus stop? :-) Our children’s radar is now out for the names of Jesus as they come up in worship, sermons, books, and everyday conversation. I love how I am introducing them to the character and provision of our God through the study of His names.

Let us know how your study continues after your Advent season is over and how your family’s faith and discipleship has been enriched!

Have a blessed Christmas season!

Rebekah is a Stay-at-home mom to two blessings, Katelyn (5 ½) and Elliot (3), with another on the way. Parenting is the current step God’s using to mold her into Christ-likeness, along with 11 years of marriage to her best friend. Her passions are homeschooling, homesteading, homemaking, from-scratch living, worship and discipleship, and most of all, glorifying God in everything she learns and attempts. Her family’s blog is just getting started over at Hallelu-Jah Homestead. She also teaches a local workshop called Waste Not, Want Not: Practical Ways to Free Up Your Budget and Live Intentionally, sharing the journey God has led her family on over the last few years.

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Advent Activities for Kids: The Names of Jesus

by RebekahNafziger on November 26, 2012

I put together this idea to teach my preschoolers many of the names or titles of Jesus. The names of Jesus reveal His character. Our experience of Him is tied to our knowledge of Him! I was surprised to find myself more blessed than they were (which is saying a lot) by digging into the character and imagery of His names.

You will find that it is very difficult to limit the names to only 25; therefore, start after Thanksgiving and go through January. My children (now 6 and 3 ½) can’t wait to start our study again this year! Although the order of the names is special to me, you can go in any order.

Preparation:

  • Make Cinnamon Ornaments. (Recipes can be found on the web). This is the most time-consuming part of the Advent activity. We made them fairly thick and used generic Christmas cutouts (stars, bells, angels, doves, snowflakes) as opposed to candy canes, Christmas trees, or reindeer.
  • Paint and Write on the Ornaments. Paint the ornaments front and back with mod podge and write one name of Jesus on each of them with a permanent marker. When dry, tie a scarlet yarn/ribbon to each ornament.

Now you’re ready to go!

Advent Activity:

  • Reveal the Day’s Name. Each day, one child opens the small paper-folded box/envelope and pulls out the ornament. Everyday, I re-use the same box. The paper box I folded from a perfect square using 2 squares of Christmas cardstock. (You can also find instructions on how to make your own paper box on the web). Some days I put a hint in the box or near it, like a sheep figurine for The Good Shepherd; then they would try to guess.
  • Read and Discuss One or More Scripture References. Discuss the name’s meaning/relevance/revealing. I have included more Scripture references than I shared with my young children. With older children, you could easily divide the reading.
  • Sing the Carol/Hymn. You can look these up on YouTube for easy access to this beautiful Christmas music.
  • Hang the Ornament on a Miniature Tree. We did not have a tree last year so I found another creative place to hang them like our quilt rack.
  • Review the Names of Jesus. This was the powerful part. I would call out: “Who is Immanuel?” And they would shout, with fists in the air: “Jesus!” We would go through 10 or so each day, and they never got tired of praising God in this way. “From the lips of children and infants You have ordained praise because of Your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger” (Ps. 8:2).

May your homes and hearts be blessed as ours has been by exploring the character and provision of His names this Christmas season.

1. Immanuel: literally means “with us is God (El)”
Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:22-23; Josh. 1:5, 9; Is. 43:2-3; Matt. 28:20
Hymn/Carol: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (note how many names of Jesus are in these verses!)

2. Light of the World
Jn 8:12; Jn 12:35; Jn 1:9; Is. 9:2; Jn 1:4; Luke 2:32
Hymn/Carol: O Little Town of Bethlehem; The Light of the World is Jesus by Philip Bliss

3. Lamb of God
Jn. 1:29; I Pet. 1:19; Rev. 5:12; Rev. 17:14; Rev. 13:8
Hymn: The Old Rugged Cross; There Is a Fountain Filled With Blood; Jesus Paid It All

4. Prince of Peace
Gen. 49:10; Is. 9:6
Hymn: Blessed Be the Name by William Clark

5. Christ, Messiah
Jn. 4:25; Col. 3:24; Luke 9:20; 2:26; Jn. 4:42
Hymn: Angels From the Realms of Glory; “Jesus Messiah” by Chris Tomlin

6. The Word
Jn. 1:1; Jn. 1:14; Rev. 19:13
Hymn/Carol: O Come All Ye Faithful; Standing on the Promises

7. Bread of Life
Jn. 6:35; 6:51
Hymn/Song: We Hunger and Thirst (by Sovereign Grace Music)

8. Redeemer
Is. 59:20
Hymn/Carol: Redeemed by Fanny Crosby; My Jesus, I Love Thee; Crystal Lewis “My Redeemer Lives”; Hillsong “My Redeemer Lives”; Nicole C. Mullen “My Redeemer Lives”

9. Son of God, Son of Man
Jn. 1:34; I Jn. 4:14; Jn. 10:36; Matt. 16:16; Lk. 1:32; Mark 10:33
Hymn/Carol: Silent Night; Crown Him with Many Crowns

10. Living Water
Jn. 4:1-26
Hymn: Give Me Jesus (African-American Spiritual)

11. Son of David
Matt. 1:1
Hymn: All Glory, Laud, and Honor

12. The Way, the Truth, and the Life
I. Jn. 1:2
Hymn: Blessed Assurance; When We All Get to Heaven; I Have Decided to Follow Jesus; “No Sweeter Name” sung by Kari Jobe

13. The Resurrection and the Life
Jn. 11:25
Hymn: Christ the Lord is Risen Today; Christ Arose

14. Good Shepherd
Jn. 10:11; Heb. 13:20; Jn. 10:16; I Pet. 5:4
Hymn: Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us; Surely Goodness and Mercy by John Peterson

15. My Servant, the Branch
Phil. 2:7; Matt. 12:18; Zech. 3:8
Hymn: Have Thine Own Way, Lord

This will give you a start at preparing for your Advent season. Watch for Part II of the Advent activity in the next few days!

Rebekah is a Stay-at-home mom to two blessings, Katelyn (5 ½) and Elliot (3), with another on the way. Parenting is the current step God’s using to mold her into Christ-likeness, along with 11 years of marriage to her best friend. Her passions are homeschooling, homesteading, homemaking, from-scratch living, worship and discipleship, and most of all, glorifying God in everything she learns and attempts. Her family’s blog is just getting started over at Hallelu-Jah Homestead. She also teaches a local workshop called Waste Not, Want Not: Practical Ways to Free Up Your Budget and Live Intentionally, sharing the journey God has led her family on over the last few years.

What does your family do for Advent and how does it enrich your faith and joy each season?

Linking up at The Better Mom, The Hip Homeschool Hop, Faith Filled Friday, Multitude of Mondays, WIP Wednesday Link-Up

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Pregnancy is Worship & a Holy Encounter

by Ashley on November 6, 2012

I’ve just entered my 3rd trimester with baby number 7! Those of you in the throngs of morning sickness might be thinking, “This doesn’t feel like worship. I feel horrible.” Pop on over to triplebraidedlife.com where I have the joy of guest posting today!

As we carry babies, we lay down our lives as an act of worship to bring forth a child who will be a carrier of God’s kingdom into this dark world. Dear mama, those nine months ARE worship, so pleasing to the Lord! When we turn our eyes to Jesus, we can walk through anything!

I hope to see you over at triplebraidedlife.com!

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How to Make Hand Sanitizer

by RebekahNafziger on October 16, 2012

Confession: I don’t shower daily. I’ve never given my children nightly baths. Too much work, and do we really need to be that squeaky clean?

Turns out, my gut instinct is correct. Our skin’s natural oils form a protective barrier which neutralizes most bad bacteria and viruses. The good bacteria thrive in this environment.

This environment is called the acid mantle, but modern soaps, shampoos, lotions, and hand sanitizers strip our skin of the acid mantle, making us more inclined to infection. It can take 2-3 weeks for our skin to rebuild its protection.

Making all these products is for other posts, but today I’m going to show you an easy-to-make hand sanitizer. It does not contain rubbing alcohol, as that product destroys both good and bad bacteria, as well as drying out the skin.

I wince every time a childcare worker pulls out commercial hand sanitizer to plop a dollop in waiting children’s hands before snack time. The warnings on the name brand sanitizer should make anyone pause. “Stop use if irritation or rash appears”; “If swallowed, contact Poison Control.” And we put this on children’s hands before they hold and eat their snacks! Does this even sound like a natural product?!

More soothing and less disruptive to our skin’s pH is a homemade version, using aloe vera gel and essential oils. I use essential oils in my basic home cleaning recipes and in my personal care products. It makes sense to use their antibacterial properties in a hand sanitizer as well.

Ingredients for Hand Sanitizer

  • 5-10 drops lavender essential oil
  • 20 drops tea tree oil
  • 8 ounces pure aloe vera gel
  • several drops vitamin E to increase shelf life and soften hands

Directions for Hand Sanitizer

Mix all ingredients together well.

Ladle into small squirt bottles, recycled from other hand sanitizer bottles. :-)

Take off the brand name label and put a smiley face sticker in its place. People just might ask you about it.

Since I only had a 2-oz bottle of sanitizer to dump to reuse, I made ¼ of the above recipe. After rubbing it into my hands, they dried quickly with no sticky residue and still a soft feel ten minutes later. I’m loving the smell of it too!

I modified this recipe. The witch hazel I have in my cupboard is 14% rubbing alcohol. A search for alcohol-free witch hazel will bring up some brands, but I wanted to use only what I had on hand.

Rebekah is a Stay-at-home mom to two blessings, Katelyn (5 ½) and Elliot (3), with another on the way. Parenting is the current step God’s using to mold her into Christ-likeness, along with 11 years of marriage to her best friend. Her passions are homeschooling, homesteading, homemaking, from-scratch living, worship and discipleship, and most of all, glorifying God in everything she learns and attempts. Her family’s blog is just getting started over at Hallelu-Jah Homestead. She also teaches a local workshop called Waste Not, Want Not: Practical Ways to Free Up Your Budget and Live Intentionally, sharing the journey God has led her family on over the last few years.

Have you tried any non-toxic DIY personal products, or is there a natural brand that you trust?

 

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It’s a Girl!

by Ashley on October 5, 2012

 

As pink has slowly begun trickling into our home, the reality of this darling baby girl in my womb has become more tangible.  But it’s taking time to sink in! I can hardly believe it!

I love all my boys dearly. I’ve always joked how I wanted more boys than girls so so far so good. But my desire for a daughter was still there with every pregnancy. I just had to keep putting it on the shelf.

Last fall, I was sick in bed watching TLC’s show “Say Yes to the Dress.” The mothers would cry when they saw their daughter in the wedding dress. Often, the mother’s tears were confirmation that this dress was indeed the one.  I cried along with them.

But my tears were because I was realizing I’d never get to have that moment. Sure, there would be many others treasured moments I’d be blessed with and perhaps, my daughter-in-laws would invite me along when they tried on their wedding dress. I wouldn’t get to watch my own daughter become a bride.

We’ve never been trying for a girl. This is not at all what our big family has been about. We’ve always believed children are a blessing from the Lord. But before this pregnancy, I had to make sure my heart wasn’t pinning away for a little girl. If God blessed us with another boy, I wouldn’t want him carrying any sort of disappointment.

A few weeks ago, the ultrasound confirmed we were indeed going to have a daughter. A gush of emotions I hadn’t expected welled up from deep within me.

Let me be honest. Being pregnant with a baby girl has tapped into a place I thought was fairly healed up. I’m realizing, due to my family circumstances, I grew up super-responsible and didn’t get to play the role of a daughter very often. I’m much more comfortable as a mother in charge than as a daughter in need.

So, I’m embarking on a new journey! A journey of being the proud mother of a delightful baby girl. In addition, I’m on a journey of letting my Heavenly Papa love me extravagantly as His own daughter. I’ve had moments of this but I think it is my time to step even further into this place. I believe motherhood itself is an awesome opportunity to encounter God’s presence where we can be changed and transformed.

Thank you for sharing in our joy! It has really touched me! I am overwhelmed God has given me some of the deepest desires of my heart- to have a daughter and to experience more of what it means to be fully His.

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