We were driving down the highway when my son shut his book, looked up at me in the rearview mirror and asked, “Mom, why do all stories end the same? Why do they always have a good ending?” “Do you remember the parts of the gospel, bud? Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation and how that’s the story God is writing for all of us? Well, authors, regardless of if they love God or not, usually can’t help but follow that same pattern, because it’s inherent in all humans. It’s written on our hearts.” I replied. Both my older children stared at me for a beat, and then I watched the recognition dawn ..read more

On January 1, 2019, I started a yearlong painting challenge. My first piece was of a paperwhite bulb in a favorite geometric-patterned planter sitting on the kitchen counter. I added a shadow to mimic other artists and captioned it “A Paperwhite Waiting to Bloom.”  All year, every single day, I painted. I set up a desk in my office to keep all my supplies out, and each afternoon, as I quieted my mind, I chose a subject to sketch and paint. Some paintings told stories about the day—a toothbrush and toothpaste on the day we all had dentist appointments, a bag of cough drops when I wasn’t f ..read more

Do you experience joyful anticipation as you swap calendars? Are you hopeful that the next 365 days will be so much more ________________(adventurous, purposeful, successful, sane, prayerful, meaningful…) than the previous batch? I do. I am. And then I promptly load most days with last year’s procrastinations and activities I committed to during a carefree day in June, no doubt. Voila, my life at-a-glance is looking strangely familiar. Out with the old and in with the new, right? My impulse is to shout YES to this invitation! Yet, not one of those calendar squares indicates that I’m ..read more

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. (John 1:11) Many people spend the month of December buying, wrapping, decorating, and preparing for the festivities of the holidays but are not ready for a transforming Christmas, nor free to experience its real impact for all of life. My greatest concern is that it won’t make any difference, that we will go back to the same old life as the same people as we were when it all began. It’s possible to celebrate Christmas and miss Christmas! Imagine a time around the Christmas tree in which you opened all your presents except those from on ..read more

The Bible is like a huge treasure chest, full of knowledge and profound, wonderful truths. Many people hesitate to read it because they think they won’t be able to understand it. Simply put, the Bible tells us about God, that He created us, how we should behave, and how we can please Him. It teaches us what is right and what is wrong, and reveals that everyone is born a sinner and needs God’s forgiveness. It tells us many things we otherwise wouldn’t know. It is very important to introduce children to the Bible at a young age. In 2 Timothy 3:15 the apostle Paul affirms that Timothy became acq ..read more

Sign up to receive updates on the latest content from Christian Mommy and download these FREE advent Scripture cards. Starting on December 1st, your family can use these cards to follow the story of Jesus all the way to His birth on Christmas Day. This DIY activity will help you and your children gain a deeper appreciation for the true reason we celebrate Christmas and fill your holiday with joy and anticipation. We wish you a blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas! -Your Friends at Christian Mommy The post Add Meaning to Christmas with Advent Scripture Cards appeared first on Christian Mommy ..read more

Burdens Released (morning reflection) Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 It seems ironic to begin the day with a call to rest. Isn’t daytime our working, errand-running, household duties time? Yes, but to be most effective in all we do, we must begin the day by hearing our Lord say, “Come unto me” and then take Him at His word when He promises rest for the day. Not only are our duties made lighter, but our daily burdens are released as we rest in Christ. He who knows what our day holds is acquainted with our responsibilities, and ..read more

The excerpt below is from Let’s Be Friends, a unique friendship journal for girls written by mother/daughter duo Blythe and Calyn Daniel. Discover how you can help your daughter overcome rejection as an adult or a child. Share this article with your daughter today.  *** One of the hardest things we go through in life is facing rejection and not losing who we are. Rejection can start as young as elementary school and continue into adult life. The sting of someone not accepting you, especially in friendships, can cause you to doubt yourself and your unique place within a friendship. I ..read more

Most children are familiar with the stories of the people they see in a traditional Nativity scene—Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men, and of course, Jesus. But do they know about Jesus’s ancestors who God used to bring about the birth of the Messiah? In this brief excerpt from Jesus and the Characters of Christmas, children will learn about just a few of the everyday men and women whose faith made it possible for Jesus to one day be born. Share this story with your child today.   ***  Jesus is kind and loving and perfect. But others in His story are just normal peo ..read more

My hands gripped the steering wheel like I was driving through a thunderstorm, but the car wasn’t moving. I sat in a dark parking lot with my hands at ten and two while tears streamed down my cheeks. Not the pretty kind you might see in an old film, where a single tear can be gently dabbed away with a tissue. My chest heaved, and I wailed more like a child than the twenty-year-old woman I was. It was a cry from the deep—not just tears for another failed relationship but the physical response of disappointment heaped upon disappointment, mess upon mess that I’d made of my life. I’d lived ..read more