We’re all in this together – A GIVEAWAY

April 6, 2013 By

*Don’t miss the giveaway at the end of this post. There are many ways to enter!

I had a conversation with a mom a while ago that really made me think.

She was worried about her two-year-old, who had become a picky eater. Frustrated with the meal-time battles and the fact that her toddler had just learned to say the word no, this mom threw her hands up and said, “My husband and I decided we’re failing as parents.”

It broke my heart.

Anybody who has had a two-year-old knows that these types of battles are totally normal.

I understood this mom’s frustration, because I’ve been there.

As I was telling her that, she said, “I don’t know. Maybe I should join a mom’s group or something. I don’t usually talk about this kind of stuff.” I could see the relief she felt in sharing, and I agreed, telling her how much mom’s groups helped me, especially during those first few years.

“I’m not sure, though,” she said, hesitating. “I just feel like any moms groups I’ve heard about have been judgmental and negative.”

That broke my heart too.

But unfortunately, I think it’s safe to say we’ve all been guilty of judging other moms at one point or another.

I saw this one day when I was at the doctor’s office picking up medicine for my daughter when she had strep throat. Another mom, about 8 1/2 months pregnant, sat near me, looking exhausted. Her daughter (about two) clung to her leg, coughing and crying, and her son (about four) ran around the waiting room.

When the little girl’s cries got louder and the mom didn’t respond, people in the waiting room began to stare. I could almost hear them thinking…Why isn’t that mom doing something?

After several minutes, the mom tiredly leaned over and picked the little girl up. Suddenly, the crying stopped… and her daughter threw up. Everywhere. There was an audible gasp in the room. And plenty more stares.

I hurried to the counter, grabbed the Kleenex off the nurse’s station, and brought it back to the mom, whose look of appreciation gave me a lump in my throat. I could feel her embarrassment and exhaustion.

I could feel the irritation in the room too, as if it was the mom’s fault her daughter got sick.

With this mom in the doctor’s office, I just felt sorry for her. But I have to be honest; there have been times I was the one doing the judging…

When Katie was born, Mike and I started off parenting with a six-week parenting class. We read a bunch of books and tried to get as many tools under our belts as we could. And as Katie became a toddler and started to test us, she didn’t get away with much (the poor first child). We implemented what we learned and were pretty happy with the results.

Up to that point, when I would see other kids throwing a tantrum and the mom not doing anything about it, I’d sometimes wonder why is the mom allowing that? Why isn’t she doing X, Y, or Z? In other words, I judged.

Then there was that fateful day in Target when Katie was about two and a half (just old enough to start having some real tantrums of her own) and she threw herself prostrate on the floor, kicking and SCREAMING. No matter what I did, no matter what X, Y, or Z consequence I promised, there was no stopping her.

It was humbling, to say the least.

I got more than a few stares as I carried her out of the store (me hot-flashing with embarrassment, and her kicking wildly).

Ever since then, when I see kids acting out like that, I feel for the mom instead of judging her. Because I’ve been there. We’ve all been there at one point or another, no matter how well we discipline or how many parenting books we read.

Every child is different and every mom is different, and what works for one parent or child may not work for another.

And sometimes–yes—we mess up. 

We don’t handle situations the way we should, or we aren’t consistent.

Still.

Let’s not judge each other, moms.

We come from different walks of life, backgrounds, and families.

If we’ve perfected our kids’ nap schedules, we shouldn’t judge moms who drive their kids around so they’ll fall asleep in the car. And if we don’t think a nap schedule is important, we shouldn’t judge moms who do.  If our kids go to public school, we shouldn’t judge moms who home school. And if we home school, we shouldn’t judge moms who don’t. The list could go on and on.

We’re different people with different reasons for the decisions we make, or have to make.

But we’re all moms.

And we’re in this together.

Motherhood is hard enough without the judging stares or whispers from others that make us feel like we’re failing.

So the next time we see a mom struggling or handling a situation differently than we would,  instead of judging, let’s help her, or smile at her, or pray for her, or encourage her.

If we all did that, just think how much easier being a mom would become.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” ~Matthew 7:1-3 NIV 

Be More Blissful: Do you ever feel like you can’t be real with other moms? That you’re the only one struggling with certain issues or frustrations? I promise you, you’re not alone. Being honest and vulnerable with others helps you know that. Reach out and share your challenges with another mom today.

A Mom’s Prayer: God, I don’t want to be a judging mom. Help me to not be so hard on myself or others. Let words of encouragement flow through me. I know there are no perfect parents. Help me to see the good in the moms in my life – in my mom, my mother-in-law, my sister, my grandma, myself, and in the friends you have surrounded me with. Thank you for the way these moms have blessed me. Help me to be a blessing back! – Amen

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*This post is an excerpt taken from chapter 5 of Genny Heikka’s new book Finding Mommy Bliss, available in the app store for only $1.99! Download the free Snippet reading app onto your iPhone or iPad and you will find her book there!

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS! 

Be sure to enter the drawing below for a $25.00 Walmart gift card! There are many ways to enter! No purchase necessary. A winner will be drawn and notified next week. Don’t miss out on the bliss!

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Inspiring Stories of Adoption – Twice the Joy & MONDAY LINK UP WITH M.O.M.

February 4, 2013 By

Full Circle:

Growing up adopted, Nancy has always had a positive perspective about adoption. “I wondered about things like my heritage, my background and if I had siblings or not, but I had a wonderful upbringing. I tell my mom she saved my life. That’s really what adoption is about” says Nancy.  It’s no surprise that she and husband Mike who already had two teenage boys decided to adopt a child as well.  “I always had it in my heart to adopt” Nancy explains.

After attending a Steven Curtis Chapman concert and hearing that he adopted three little girls from China, Nancy was moved to action. She and Mike began the process of adopting their daughter Anna from an orphanage in China. “The journey was filled with miracle after miracle” Nancy recalls. Anna, fifteen months old at the time, was listed as having microtia, an ear deformity that can affect hearing. “We didn’t set out to adopt a child with special needs, but the minute I saw Anna’s photo come across my email, I knew she was my daughter – the experience was life-changing” Nancy reflects.

“Being adopted and then adopting – wow – It’s like coming full circle! I can’t even begin to tell you the blessings we’ve seen.  We celebrate Chinese New Year, we dress up and we make Chinese food,” says Nancy. “There’s such joy in adopting that I never want to stop.” In fact, Nancy and her family are currently in the process of adopting another little girl, two-year-old Arianna, from a different orphanage in China.

If Not Me, Then Who?

Ana, a single mom in West Sacramento always knew she wanted to adopt. “I didn’t try to have my own kids, I just felt that there were kids out there who needed parents and I could help. I went to school, I had my career, and I thought now I can do it” Ana remembers. She contacted Foster and Kinship Care Education at Woodland Community College, a program led by Instructional Specialist Cherie Schroeder that serves families in Yolo County. “I never thought I    was going to be a foster parent,” Ana says. “I didn’t know if I could do it, but then I started going to the classes and thought, why not me, and if not me, then who?”

Soon after Ana got her license to become a foster parent and got a call about a two-day old baby needing short-term placement. “Cherie went with me to the hospital,” says Ana, recalling the day in clear detail. “I was so shaky, there was this tiny baby girl, just six pounds.” The support Ana received from Cherie and other volunteers helped her through. “I had to work at my job through the whole process and I didn’t have family leave” Ana remembers. When the little girl was 17 months old, Ana was able to adopt her formally.  “When she says mom to me, I think, yes, I’m your mom” Ana says with a smile in her voice.  Cherie Schroeder says of the experience “it’s a beautiful thing when you place a child into a family with so many opportunities.”

The Icing on Our Cake

When Kittie, a mom with two children of her own, was unable to have a third, she and her husband began exploring the idea of adoption. Around that time, one of her co-workers had a chance meeting with a pregnant woman. The woman was looking for adoptive parents for her unborn son because she wanted him to have opportunities and a life that she felt she couldn’t provide for him.

Kittie and the woman met for lunch the next day and not long after, the pregnant woman called and told Kittie that she wanted Kittie and her husband to be the adoptive parents of her baby. “She’s my hero” Kittie says. “I was able to be at her doctor appointments and my husband and I were there for the birth of our son.”

Though the waiting period involved with the adoption process was hard, Kittie and her husband acquired the help of an adoption agency and had an attorney to guide them through the process.  And the bond they felt with their son was instant. “He’s made our family better, stronger, and more complete,” she says.  “Just to have him, a seven year old boy who loves football, his mom, his dad, his sister and his brother, it’s changed our lives.  He is the icing on our cake!”

Support and Resources

Edye Swidler, LMFT a clinical program director at Lilliput Children’s Services, a private, non-profit agency says “one of the most important things to consider if you are adopting is to work with an agency that you trust and to learn as much as you can about both the process and the special needs of the child you are hoping to adopt.  It’s also important for families to be flexible and be willing to reach out to support systems and community resources.”

An adoptive parent herself, Edye knows how crucial post-adoption services are. Adoption is a lifelong journey and many families find themselves looking for support as children face various developmental milestones. Lilliput provides clinical services and support groups and they have been working with the Community Champions Network to develop a website that links families to adoption services.

-Written by Genny Heikka

*Article previously published in  Sacramento Parent Magazine.

Do you have an adoption story? Leave a comment and share. You never know how your own journey or experience can inspire or help someone else!

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For you, the single mom…

January 31, 2013 By

My husband used to travel a lot for business.

Many of his trips were overseas and sometimes he was gone for two weeks at a time.

Even though I’m really independent and the kids and I stayed busy while he was gone, we always missed him.

And the time alone always reminded me just how much single moms do. 

There were days I had to get the kids to the orthodontist, then swim team, then guitar lessons, then youth group, all one after the other, and sometimes overlapping.

We ran late a lot, and some days were just plain crazy.

So today, I want to honor all you single moms out there…

Moms who do it on their own not just for two weeks, but all the time.

I want to honor all you military moms too. I cried sometimes when I would drop Mike off at the airport, and that was just for a two-week goodbye. When I think about the sacrifice that so many moms and dads in the military make, and the time away from their families, it makes me pause and appreciate all you do that much more.

So this is for you…

Single Mom

You–the strong woman (even if you don’t always feel like it) that runs her household alone.

You – the mom who wakes up before everyone else so she’ll have enough time to empty the dishwasher, pack lunches, get ready for work, and get the kids to school without being late.

You – the mom who takes the garbage out and cleans the leaves out of the gutter and fixes the sprinklers when they’re not working.

You – the mom who rakes the leaves and gets the oil changed in the car and runs to the grocery store at 9:00 at night so her kids will have milk.

You – the mom who stays up late helping with math problems and vocabulary words, even though she’s exhausted.

You – the mom who cooks dinner and pulls everyone together for a meal, even though she’s the only adult at the table.

You – the mom who signs the school forms that come home in the backpack,

and who remembers when school pictures are due,

and who walks her kids door-to-door selling fundraising candy around the neighborhood for their sports teams.

You – the mom who goes to bed alone,

and who might get a little scared in a rainstorm,

but who never lets the kids see her fear.

You  – the mom who carries the weight

and the responsibility

and the joy

of being a parent

with pride and determination

and perseverance.

You – the mom who is showing her kids how to be strong, 

simply by being there for them,

simply by loving them,

simply by being a mom they know they can always count on.

You – the one who is making a difference

day by day,

hour by hour,

moment by moment,

second by second.

You.

The single mom.

The good mom.

 

Are you a single mom or a military mom? Has your husband traveled and the time away has given you a new perspective on parenting alone? 

If you’re a single mom, I hope today brings you a lighter load, a peaceful moment, help from a friend, a kind word from a stranger, and some time just for you.

If you know a single mom, please send this to her and encourage her that she’s not alone and that she is making a difference!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

 

 

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AND/OR

SIGN UP to BEGIN a M.O.M. Initiative Mentor Group in your area! You will also receive a FREE copy of Overwhelmed and as a ministry tool, please feel free to make as many copies as you need.

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Sometimes, it’s as simple as how you say hello…

December 14, 2012 By

I went to pick my kids up from the Kids’ Club area of the gym after I’d finished working out, when I passed the window to the room that they were in.

My daughter saw me through the glass, jumped up, and waved.

And when I opened the door, she was standing at the front desk, smiling. “Mommy!” she said, hugging me tight.

I’d only been “gone” for an hour, but by the way she acted, you’d guess it had been a week.

Her sweet greeting seriously melted my heart. And it made me think…

How do I say hello to her?

I thought about the morning before, when I woke her up with a quick kiss on the forehead, then launched into a very rushed, “Don’t take too long getting ready because it’s our day to carpool. And you need to clean your room before we leave. It looks like a tornado came through here.”

I thought about when I’d picked my kids up from school that day, too. We’d walked through the park, passing others who were playing on the swings and buying ice-cream from the ice-cream truck. I shuffled my kids along, reminding them to hurry because we had to get to basketball. I barely registered their disappointed faces when I told them we didn’t have time for ice-cream.

And I realized how important even tiny interactions like this can be to our kids.

I want to make sure when I say hi to my kids, or to my husband, or to anyone, I’m doing it in a way that really acknowledges them. And I want to give the kind of greeting that focuses on that moment, not all of the things on the schedule ahead.

I truly appreciated how my daughter made me feel that day at the gym. And I appreciated the reminder to slow down and take the time to make my kids feel special.

Because I want them to know how much I love them.

With every single hello.

Greet one another with a kiss of love. 1 Peter 5:14

What do you think? Do you find yourself getting caught up in the schedule, forgetting how your interactions with your kids make them feel? What are some of the things you do to let your kids know how much you love them?

written by Genny Heikka

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Our Family Creed

September 19, 2012 By

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FACING YOUR FEARS – 31 STORIES FROM M.O.M.

 

Several years ago, one of the pastors at our church spoke about the importance of creating a sense of team and vision within your own family.

One of the ways he’d done this in his family was by creating a Family Creed - a list of principals to live by, sort of a mission statement to help define what your family is all about.

As he shared his Family Creed, I feverishly took notes. Our daughter was about six at the time, our son was about four, and there were days during those years I felt like I spent half my time repeating myself, trying to teach the kids values or behaviors, and discipline them.

The creed sounded like a great way to focus and get everyone on the same page.

As soon as we got home that day, I copied the list our pastor had shared and created our own Heikka Family Creed…

I know it’s not the best photo, so here’s what it says:

The Heikka Family Creed

Heikkas share.
Heikkas keep their word.
Heikkas obey.
Heikkas let others go first.
Heikkas don’t whine.
Heikkas respect others.
Heikkas leave no one behind.
Heikkas act like gentlemen and ladies.
Heikkas don’t quit.
Heikkas don’t boast.
Heikkas do everything as if unto the Lord.

Mike and I eagerly shared the creed with our kids and it gave us a new framework to talk about the importance of things like letting others go first, not leaving anyone behind, never quitting, and always respecting others.

We made copies and taped it to each of their bedroom doors.

Sometimes the tape would lose its stick and the creeds would fall to the floor, but we’d always put them back up. And after a while, our kids even had the creed memorized. They could proudly recite it on their own.

It was helpful as a parent to be able to refer to it over the years, reminding the kids as they’d fight over a toy…

“Heikkas share,” or as they’d tell us about someone at school who was getting left out…”Heikkas don’t leave anyone behind,”

or if they weren’t putting their full effort into something…”Heikkas don’t quit.”

As the kids have gotten older,  they have needed less reminding. And, I admit, we haven’t read or even talked about our Family Creed in a while. In fact, one time when the copy on my son’s door fell off, instead of taping it back up right away, I set it on his dresser and made a mental note to get to it later.

I didn’t think he had noticed that it had fallen.

Until I walked into his room and saw this…

He had taken it off his dresser and tacked it to his wall, all on his own.

I might’ve thought, since my kids are older, it wasn’t needed as much anymore. But the fact that he put it on his wall made me take a fresh look at the principals and vision we share as a family.

And those aren’t something any of us should outgrow.  :)

Today, we’re linked up with Women Living Well

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In my weakness…

July 17, 2012 By

I was a new mom trying to nurse my daughter and she wasn’t latching on. On the verge of tears, I wasn’t helping the situation by getting discouraged. My husband Mike tried to encourage me, while I tried to remember what the nurse told us…

It wasn’t supposed to be this complicated, was it?

God, please help, I prayed. Pleeease help this to work…

How could something so natural be so hard?

Worry started to set in and I wondered how things would turn out. What if it doesn’t work? What if I can’t do this? Here I’d been a mom for only a day, and already I felt like a failure.

“Let’s take a break and try again later,” Mike said. Sadly, I handed Katie over to him and wiped my eyes.

And that’s what we did: take breaks and try again.

And again.

And after a couple of days, my daughter (and I) eventually got the hang of it. Nursing even became easy. But there have been many times as a mom since then that I’ve been tears-down-my-face weary and things haven’t turned out exactly the way I’d planned or hoped.

It’s been during those times that praying and leaning on God has made all the difference…

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  -2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

It sounds kind of backwards, doesn’t it?… Power being made perfect in weakness. But somehow, that’s truly how it works. When we are weak (or frustrated, or discouraged, or stressed, or weary), He is strong. And leaning on Him gives us strength too.

That’s good news for moms, because parenting isn’t easy, right? We try, and we try again, and sometimes things turn out great. But sometimes they don’t. We all face challenges in life, and so do our kids. But it’s then–smack in the middle of those hard times, when we realize we are less than able—that God’s grace makes all the difference, that His power really is made perfect in our weakness.

He, above all, knows what hardship or difficulty is, and understanding that can help us rest in the assurance that things will work out. Even if they don’t seem like it at the moment.

What about you? Are you frustrated as a mom today? If so, don’t get discouraged. Reach out to another mom and share what you’re going through. And take comfort in knowing that God really can give you the strength you need.

A mom’s prayer: Lord, I’m frustrated today. Please help me and give me strength. Keep me from getting discouraged. Amen.

By: Genny Heikka

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What every child deserves…

May 24, 2012 By

It’s 8:45 a.m. and I pull up to my neighbor’s house for our morning carpool.

My daughter hops out of the car and runs to the porch to get her friend, like usual.

A few minutes pass,

then

instead of her and her friend *Sophie coming back out, Sophie’s mom hurries over, a worried look on her face.

“Is she not coming to school?” I ask, thinking Sophie might be sick.

“I can’t find her,” she says. “She went outside to look for the cat and hasn’t come back… and that was over twenty minutes ago.“

I’m immediately concerned. Just a few days before, one of our other neighbor’s houses was robbed in the morning, which never happens in our neighborhood. Visions of Sophie chasing the cat around the corner and then encountering…

I won’t let my mind go there.

“Do you want me to drive around and look for her?”

“That’s okay. I was just going to do that,” she says.

“I’ll go to school and do drop-off, then I’ll come back and help you.”

“Okay. Thanks.” Then, shaking her head, “I’m worried.”

“Me too, but I’m sure she’s alright.” My daughter gets back in the car and I drive to school, a pit in my stomach.

Please let Sophie be okay, I pray the whole drive. Please let her be okay.

I remember how I felt one time when my son was about two and had wandered around the corner at a neighborhood BBQ. I thought he might be lost… forever.

I remember that sickening feeling of not knowing where your child is…

and I feel that for Sophie now.

She’s not family, but she’s my daughter’s close friend,

and I feel that.

After dropping my daughter off, I race back to Sophie’s house, gripping the steering wheel and scanning the sidewalks.

Please let her be okay, please let her be okay, please let her be okay.

When I pull into her court, her garage door is open and her mom is standing in the driveway.

I open the car window, my heart beating fast. “Did you find her?”

And then,

the sweetest word…

“Yes.”

Thank God. The weight lifts from my heart.

“She was in the backyard,” she says, still shaken. (Evidently, their cat had gotten out and climbed over the fence and Sophie had been back there trying to get him. She hadn’t heard her mom calling.)

“Do you want me to take her to school?” I offer. “I’m heading back that way anyway.”

“Would you?” She runs her hand through her hair. “My gas tank is on empty.”

Sophie comes out of their garage and gets in my car, crying. We drive away and head toward school.

“Are you okay, Hon?” I ask.

She nods in between tears.

“Are you crying because you were scared?”

“No,” she sobs.

“Are you crying because you think your mom is mad at you?”

“Uh-huh,” she says, sniffling.

I imagine the reaction I would have had with my twelve-year-old if I’d been calling her, looking for her, driving around the neighborhood… and she was in the backyard the whole time. I would’ve been overwhelmed with relief, but I probably would have had a few words about answering me when I call and being ready for school when it was time to get picked up.

“Your mom’s not mad at you,” I promise. “She’s just glad you’re safe. We moms get a little frantic when we think our kids might be missing.”

“Uh-huh,” she says again.

The sniffles start to slow.

“Everyone’s just glad you’re okay,” I tell her, swallowing the lump in my throat.

By the time we get to school, she stops crying. And the minute she gets out and closes the car door, I start.

I cry and cry – not just out of relief that Sophie is safe,

but for all the girls out there who aren’t,

for all the girls out there–11, 12, 13… younger and older–who don’t have a mom frantically looking for them,

who don’t have neighbors or others in their lives who care about where they are.

For all the girls out there who run away or are taken away… and nobody goes to find them.

Through my involvement with Courage to Be You (a non-profit that is building homes for children rescued out of trafficking), I’ve learned the truth – that there are countless girls (and boys) out there—even in our own communities—who don’t have someone looking for them,

who don’t have someone who cares about them

who don’t have someone who misses them.

It’s a fact that pierced my heart over a year ago, and a fact that stays with me daily.

The exact number of kids being trafficked is unknown because the crime is so hidden, but a University of Pennsylvania study estimated nearly 300,000 youth in the United States were at risk of being exploited for commercial uses. The Justice Department’s National Incidence Study reported that 1.7 million children run away or are thrown away each year, with just 357,600 reported as missing to the police. In addition, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) estimates that at least 100,000 children are enslaved in the insidious world of child prostitution each year.

If this grips you like it did me, there are ways you can get involved. We moms can make a difference. Stop by C2BU.org and find out how.

Because every child deserves to have someone looking for them.

Every child.

*names have been changed 

Written by Genny Heikka

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When parenting means… having a gentle answer

March 23, 2012 By

Some days, parenting is hard.

That was my exhausted thought as I drove my daughter home from swim team one night.

The whole day had been a battle.

I can’t even remember as I write this what the issues were, but it just seemed like everything was a challenge that day.

Maybe it was because we had a busy schedule and I was being impatient. Or maybe it was because she’s a pre-teen and she’s becoming more independent. Whatever the reason, I was frustrated. She was mad.

And it was one of those days.

There we were, driving along on the heels of an argument, and I was done.

I sighed.

She sighed.

I could almost hear her arms crossing in the back seat.

We were both quiet.

And in that silence, as we drove down the freeway, the sun setting in the distance, a thought came to me.

“You know what?” I said.

“What?” she answered, sulking.

“I just realized, even when we have our differences, you and I are still more the same than we are different.”

She didn’t say anything.

“And I think the fact that we disagree sometimes might be good.”

“Why?” Her voice softened.

(Was that the sound of her arms uncrossing?)

“Because I see your determination. You’ve got a strong will, and you can do a lot of great things with that in life.”

“Hmm,” was all she said.

We drove along, maybe another five minutes or so, and then…

“Mommy?”

“What?”

“I love you.”

It took me by surprise.

I smiled in the darkness.

“I love you too.”

“Thank you for taking me to swim tonight.”

I got a lump in my throat.

“You’re welcome.”

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. – Proverbs 15:1

Sometimes, as moms, it can be hard to give a gentle answer, especially when we’re in the middle of arguments with our kids. It can be hard to stay positive and calm. And it can be hard to find gentle words that encourage and build up, rather than tear down. And while there are definite times we need to be firm and resolute, there are also times when our kids’ acting out might really be a cry for attention,

a need to know they are cared about,

a deliberate test to see if they are still loved,

even when they act unlovable.

Especially during those times (like that day with my daughter in the car), a gentle answer may be all that is needed to turn things around.

What about you? How do you turn things around when parenting is hard? Here’s a prayer to help:

Dear Lord,

Please give me the wisdom to recognize the reasons behind my kids’ behaviors. Help me to see when they need extra love and attention. Help me to see when they need correction. Give me Your gentle words to say to them, words that will refresh, reset, and encourage even the most challenging situations. Help me to be quick to listen, slow to anger, and overflowing with Your amazing love.

–Amen.

by Genny Heikka

 

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Filed Under: Behavior, Childhood, M.O.M. Devos, MOM Stuff, Teens 8 Comments