By Meredith Brierly, owner of Clean Coaching Mama YES…Christians can (and dare I say, even should) meditate!  I was recently talking with another Christian friend about holistic ways to support anxiety. She asked me for all my strategies to share with a family friend. As a 12+ years sober recovered alcoholic and holistically-minded health coach, I have a LONG history with anxiety. While I’ve had an on-and-off-again relationship with SSRIs (like Zoloft) personally during busier seasons of life - and feel they have their place and time for many people - I have found meditation practic ..read more

Submitted by Meredith Brierly, owner of Clean Coaching Mama (recipe from Smitten Kitchen) Image Credit: Smitten Kitchen This Smitten Kitchen cauliflower salad with a tangy olive oil dressing and pistachios and dates is not just “acceptable” for a cauliflower dish but honestly I think it’s REALLY good. I don’t even tweak the recipe, but I think walnuts would work just as well if you’re not a pistachio fan, or she mentions sunflower seeds too. And cooks can eliminate the nuts altogether if there’s an allergy in the family. Ingredients: 1 large head of cauliflower (2 pounds) Olive oil and ..read more

by Jennifer Kelley, guest blogger Another Valentine’s Day is here, prompting reflection on how to nurture lasting love amidst the chaos of kids, careers, errands that never seem to end...  As working moms, we carry incredible responsibility trying to “do it all” flawlessly. The needs of partners and little ones validly occupy much of our mental space. But, in the quest to tend to everyone else’s happiness, our own gets overlooked far too often.  What I’ve discovered in my journey of marriage and motherhood is that regularly taking time to fill YOUR cup is the secret sauce keeping ro ..read more

When you’re a mother, it can be overwhelming to think about taking time to invest in yourself. It’s true for moms who work at home with their families, and it’s true for moms with careers outside of the home. There are usually at least five good reasons why you can’t, or shouldn’t, or won’t carve out time and/or financial resources to build into your own development. One thing hinders moms is wading through the sheer volume of options. Why? Because it takes time – and that’s a precious asset as a mama. Allow me to lighten your load. Because of my background in professional settings within publ ..read more

When we’re in the mood for shrimp and pasta, this recipe is always at the top of my list. It’s fairly healthy and easy to scale the flavor up or down depending on your food mood. We like to add a little heat, too! I consider this recipe a mash up of several different recipes I’ve tried over the years, so feel free to try it, tweak it and make it your own. Ingredients 2 T olive oil 1/2 small onion, diced 1/2 T crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/4 cup white wine 1/4 cup heavy cream Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 to 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled 1/2 cup ..read more

Our pastor gave an incredible sermon this weekend. He beautifully blended Old and New Testament scriptures to remind us of God's greatness and ended with Paul's writing in 2 Corinthians about how we showcase His greatness when we are humble, weak and  broken. The sermon itself was humbling. How often am I guilty of thinking I built Restored? Or believing I can sustain it? I didn't. And, I can't. If you hear me say anything about Restored, hear me say this: This amazing community of mamas is not mine. God creates. And He created Restored. He continues to put people, ideas and organization ..read more

We used this snickerdoodle cookie recipe for the kids’ cookie exchange, and they were so tasty we made them for our grown up Christmas party! They were a hit! Several people asked for the recipe, so we’re sharing it here. Recipe: The Best Snickerdoodle Cookies Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt For cinnamon coating: 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Instructions: 1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven ..read more

by guest blogger Jennifer Kelley This Working Mom Starts Her Day Choosing Herself First. Here’s Why It Works. My morning routine used to look like this: drag myself out of bed, get the kids up and moving, make breakfast and pack lunches before hustling us out the door. Then I’d dive into work determined to be the model employee as I simultaneously handled dishes, laundry and coordinating the household. I justified my complete self-neglect by telling myself that his is what “Super Mom” looks like. I had no time for luxuries like sitting quietly sipping coffee, taking purposeful pauses or doing ..read more

Stephanie Llorente, owner of Restored, is a regular contributor to the WRAL Family blog where she writes about relevant topics for working moms. We repost that content here. I’ve had the honor of introducing a variety of women in our Meet This Mom series, and it’s always fun getting to know them. But today’s profile is different – because I already know this lady very well. So well, in fact, that we started a business together once upon a time – and we still like each other, y’all! Do you know how rare that is?? While we each run our own separate businesses now, we still show up for each othe ..read more

So much of purchasing a new Bible is based on personal preference. It’s the God-breathed scripture that matters most for all of us, but it’s the small, personal details of a Bible that can help tailor an experience. To be clear, these little details don’t actually matter and the Lord can speak whenever, however and to whomever He wants, but since Bibles can come with all sorts of bells and whistles, it can be helpful to understand what they are before you make a purchase. And, if they encourage you or your family members to pick up the Bible just a little bit more, great! Here are just a few i ..read more