Jesus befriended His disciples, fed them, taught them, loved them, modeled faith, healed, spoke comfort and forgiveness. He was attentive to their needs and ultimately sacrificed His life on the cross for them and for us, that we might receive wholeness, forgiveness, eternal life. He was the servant king. I learned to become a servant mama, copying His ways.

An advocate parent is one who champions each child’s personality, seeks to encourage, pour in love, and is willing to go the long road to walk beside their child in every situation. It is what Jesus was like with us, His own children — an advocate, a lover, a shepherd, a savior.

The daily habit of eating together while being intentional to talk, discuss, teach, encourage, debate, and share rousing stories was one of the most profound rhythms of our family life.

Diligence is one of my ponders today on Tea Time Tuesday. Diligence requires attentive and persistent commitment in doing a task or keeping faithful to complete work, goals or faithfulness in relationship.

We feel lost in this broken place, where we will never be fulfilled or complete. But God is never lost and we are never lost to him. He always sees us wherever we think we are hiding or in the dark.

As God brought design, beauty and order to our world, so in His image, we do the same—but within our unique personalities, preferences and culture. We model to our children what it looks like to “take care” of our worlds of life and love.

When we pour out our lives in abundance to love sacrificially, serving with a plentifully joyful heart, casting grace and light over all we do, then we are a picture of Christ Himself. Generosity of life heals, comforts, inspires.

A grateful heart sees the fingerprints of God in normal every day circumstances, be they great or challenging.

This time of year, spring fever hits. This is a time to have one woman retreat, to plan delight for yourself, to bring joy and beauty just for a bit to bring new life into your soul.

Today, I ended my time with my wonderful daughter, Sarah, chatting about life, a momentous birthday and values and relationships we cherish. I hope you enjoy today’s podcast and our fun time together.

Jesus was the Word, the message sent from God’s heart of love. Calling him that shows such the significance of words to God. Words give hope, communicate ideas, inspire movements to fight for freedom, sharpen our minds to know how to think well, inspire heroism, give leadership to those longing for direction. These words are alive and shape life.

I'd rather be a risk taker, live by faith, believe that He is here present than to let fear of what might happen (or fear of failure, or fear of what people might think) squeeze the life and childlikeness of my believing and hoping out of me, to cause me to do nothing at all.

Today I talked with a wonderful friend, Ginny Zurich, who has a wealth of research, knowledge and understanding of an outdoor life. She is a treasure, a delight and an inspiration. Join us as we discuss many areas of this flourishing view of life.

I've been pondering why intentional words are so important and give so much life to people. Many I know are a bit empty, weary — but words of life have worked magic in them.

When I look to God’s ways, I observe what He has made and listen to the voice of creation. He has made even the insignificant, a small child, a thing of glory, beauty to behold, heavenly art in which my heart is amazed. In His hands, the small becomes significant.

The more we believe in His love, the more we live in the peaceful and generous acceptance we have from Him, the more we will exhibit it to others in our lives.

What would a world hope for if there were not great women committed to serving, civilizing, bringing beauty from chaos and believing courageously in the truths of God, even during dark times?

God does not arbitrarily issue us commandments to be hard on us. His commandments, which must be obeyed, are for our best — to protect us, to bless us, to cause us happiness and to help us become the best we can be.

In the same way that we expose ourselves and children to great stories to shape our moral imagination, so Jesus used so many metaphors in scripture to give us a personal picture of what He is like.

Honor was one of the foundational values of our home. Honor, recognizing the worth of another human being and treating them as such, was foundational to our children learning to bow their knee before God.

Often, we live through daily rhythms and don’t realize that even common moments are shaping the impressions on our children’s hearts.

Believing when we cannot see, practicing faithfulness when no one else sees is a long tradition of faithful saints throughout history.

Biblical truths have held me through my own dark clouds, anchoring my thoughts and heart to know and understand the never changing attributes of God and his goodness. These truths, stored up in our minds and our children, will speak to us and carry us through.

One of the strengths and profound work of a woman, is to bring civility and order out of chaos, to bring beauty, intelligence, excellence in subduing her kingdom of home into a life-giving haven.

Today on my podcast, I am starting a new series—training in truth, virtue, discipling your children and discipling yourself.