Smart Summer Strategies

Summer’s Here! Whoo hoo! Kids are out of school. No rushed mornings. Or, at least no homework or projects due.   BUT….are your children controlling you? Or, are you building into them the following admirable traits?  Personal Responsibility  Do you want to raise a slob or someone who knows how to pick up after themselves? It may not bother you to pick up a 2 year old’s sippy cup. But if your 7 year old knocks over his apple juice and leaves it on the table, you may be rightly annoyed. And it isn’t cool for a 12 year old to leave cans of half drunk sodas …

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Better Together Conference HIGHLIGHTS

What happens at a Better Together Conference? Since a picture is worth a million words…. Stephanie Shott, Melinda Means, Debbie Taylor Williams, Christen Price “Better Together” is the name of The Mom Initiative Conference that we are hosting in churches across America.  When I think of 2 moms who model being “Better Together,” I think of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth. They were better together! After the angel announced to Mary that she had been chosen to give birth to the Messiah, she went to see Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John. Together they celebrated. “Blessed are you …

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MATRIARCHS: Elizabeth – Mom Knows Best or God Knows Best?

Welcome to Week 10 of MATRIARCHS! Study God’s Word with us online or use them in your small group or Sunday School class!  Each lesson includes: Teaching video every Monday (15-20 minutes) Short lesson provided as the content of the post In-depth downloadable PDF to deepen your study Worksheets that take you even deeper ALL LESSONS ARE FREE AND YOU CAN MAKE AS MANY COPIES AS YOU’D LIKE! Week 1: Eve – A Mother Like No Other Week 2: Sarah – Mother of Nations Week 3: Rebekah – Mothering Through Barrenness Week 4: Mary – Stubbornly Inflexible or Sacredly Flexible Week 5: Naomi – Not …

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How to Create A Prayer War Room

“There always seems to be something to fight for.”  “We need to have the right [plan] and resources because victories don’t come by accident.” Did you see the movie, “War Room”? Miss Clara was on “target” when she said we need to have the right resources. Lately my eyes have been returning to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; where we’re warned that “though we walk in the flesh, we do not WAR according to the flesh.” In other words, whether we’re in the midst of dealing with an unruly child, battling cancer, or struggling with marital issues, we need more than our wit. We need to …

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Are You Kidding? 4 Organization Tips to Keep You Sane

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, PEACE, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” Galatians 5:22-23. Lauren, my daughter, looked across the kitchen as I unloaded the dishwasher one morning. Instead of putting the dishes in the cabinets, I set them on the table for dinner. “Are you kidding?” she laughed. “Mom, you really do things ahead of time.” For a few months several years ago, Lauren, her husband, and two young boys stayed with us while they house shopped. During that time, Lauren got a bird’s eye view of the organization tips that kept me sane when she and …

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Are You Discouraged?

“I know where she is,” a friend recently told me in relation to a loved one. “See, she’s here.” I watched as she pulled up the “Find My Friends” app on her phone.  We decided to add each other as “friends” so we could see where each other is during the day and pray for one another.   I became amazed and ABSORBED with the app. I could watch my friend drive down the highway; know she was at Walmart and when she returned home. I switched to myself and saw the blue satellite “bling” and follow me to work, the cleaners, and …

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Be the BEST Mommy!

TheMOMInitiative.com Check “YES” or “NO” if you would vote for MY mama as the BEST MOMMY.  She loved me. She tucked me in bed and said prayers. She taught me to dress myself, have manners, and be polite.  We had a jungle gym and she let me play play play outside with my best friend, Debbie, who lived across the street. She let me have friends over to spend the night.   She brought cookies and snacks to help with homeroom parties.  She took me to church and to Vacation Bible School in the summer.  She let me sleep late …

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Easy, Fun, ETERNAL Impact

Kids Time Bible Verses A-Z is a simple, fast, FUN way to teach your children about Jesus.  “Mom, I think we’re going to spend the night.”  My husband, Keith and I were thrilled. Our daughter and her family live 45 minutes from us, and we love every chance to see them.  After everyone went to bed, I did what I used to do when our daughter and son were 5 and 3. I set up “KIDZ TIME.”  It’s a simple, easy to use devotional activity.   “E” Enter through the narrow gate . Matthew 7:13 “Welcome to Kidz Time!” I greeted …

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Sexy to Natural Dolls Are Eye Opener

Sexy Bratz Dolls. Goth Barbies.    I looked in shock at the dolls a man selected for a “gift”  for a child.  “What in the WORLD?” I wondered.  Why would anyone give a horrid looking doll to a little girl?  It never occurred to me that perhaps his wife or partner dressed that way.  I assumed the dolls represented the shows they enjoyed. But today, I had a wake up call.  The National Center on Sexual Exploitation’s “thank you for boycotting Fifty Shades of Grey” email arrived, and it had an interesting link:  Desexualizing Dolls to Protect Minors. Kelly Orgill, NCSE Intern, spotlighted Sonja …

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