Finding Joy in Your Home

This month we are going to be chatting a lot about reading, how to read more, and WHY we would want to read more. Today I'm giving some reasons for investing in reading and some tips for reading more...no matter what that means for YOU! Listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Why I read and invest in reading: As a Christian, I think it's important to be learning and growing. As a mother, I want to model to my kids what it means to be a life long learner. And reading is very relaxing to me. It fills up my cup so that I can in turn fill up the cups around me. So when considering reading more, keep those in mind! But also keep in mind that we all derive different levels of enjoyment out of reading. For me, it's ALSO my entertainment and what Jason and I choose for leisure. You might not enjoy it that much, and that's okay! Reading will mean different things to each of us. If you don't think you enjoy reading that much, I do encourage you to try some new types of books and see if you don't fall in love. Try new genres, try audiobooks, or different times of day for reading. When setting a goal can help: It can help incentivize you to pick up books. It helps develop a routine. When we do 2 books a week, it naturally helps us pace those. It can help you choose things OVER television or social media. Which is almost always the right thing ;) It helps me FINISH books. Which has greatly paid off because some of my most impactful reading moments have been in the last chapter or so. Links & Resources: Follow me over on Instagram to follow along with everything in real time Follow me on Goodreads to see all my latest reads and challenge Our Sponsor: Visit HomeschookMagnet.com to find some better homeschooling support! Our Sponsor: Get the best custom Christmas gifts and cards at Vistaprint.com/HF

My kitchen has changed dramatically over the past few years as I've gotten into good habits of batch booking. In this episode, I'll share how I use batch cooking in a busy schedule and some terrific resources for doing it in your kitchen as well. Listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Jamerrill Stewart's Large Family Table Prep Dish does the work for you - get 2 weeks FREE! Follow me over on Instagram where we've been chatting about all things kitchen! Our sponsor: Vistaprint.com/HF Our sponsor: Homeschoolmagnet.com

In hard seasons, in mundane moments and everything in between, the Gospel needs to shape our responses, our attitude and our home. Often we think of the Gospel as something that was important at that moment of salvation. Christ died for me, I'm forgiven...then the Christian life starts. But the Christian life is the Gospel. It affects our work, our marriages, our parenthood, our attitudes, and responses to all that life throws at us. And that's exactly what we are discussing today. Let's dive in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. What is the “goal” of the Christian life? “For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” – Philippians 1:19-23 Living in light of the Gospel: “It is our obligation, as people created and owned by God, to give him the honor and glory that is due to him, to live and speak and act and think in a way that recognizes and acknowledges his authority over us. We are made by him, owned by him, dependent on him, and therefore accountable to him.” - What is the Gospel? By Greg Gilbert Finding Glory in the Mundane Moments You see, I struggle sometimes with finding worth in the mundane. I struggle finding glory in the ordinary. I sometimes struggle knowing how the second load of dishes or sweeping the sidewalk is worth anything. Do you ever struggle with this? Do you ever struggle knowing how our work in the home matters to God? Both of these books this year have helped with that. I feel like I’ve gone on a similar journey as the author has in Glory in the Ordinary. I love how she’s open about her struggle with this as well: “Like all major changes, my early days as a stay-at-home mom rocked me to the core. I had gone from days filled with fruitful conversations to days filled with crying and blank stares from two needy babies. Over time I began to see that being home had inherent value, but what I couldn’t immediately see was how the work at home had value as well. It was not merely about staying home to take care of the children (which made sense to my exhausted brain); I had to learn there was value in the laundry and cleaning too.” – Glory in the Ordinary page 25 This is the impactful part, she goes on to say: “What I’ve learned is that God is glorified in the mundane work as much as he is in the magnificent. In fact, it is in the mundane moments, the moments where we live each and every day, where we come to see the true greatness of God and his love for us.” – Glory in the Ordinary page 25 Life is lived out in these tiny moments. I may not always have the mental capacity to remember and realize that I am doing big, grand work, even when I’m scrubbing toilets, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Something that I love throughout her book is this concept of how our culture views work in the home versus how God does. Our culture views work as simply a means to an end. We work just enough to be able to afford leisure time. And we look down on those blue collar jobs or work that seem to have little worth, such as workingMcDonald’s. We value big important jobs. We admire people who are in charge of large ministries who are making changes in the world. That’s not a bad thing to admire those people, but we tend to put all our value into these jobs or those people. So we tend to think then,

I have one big goal in my kitchen: nourish my family with good, nutritious food so that we all have the energy and vitality to serve the Lord. BUT it has to be simple and easy or I'll never be able to do it. So in this episode I'm going to share a bit behind how I run my simple kitchen to save money, save time, and eat healthier. Listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Find all my favorite kitchen appliances in my Amazon store Join me over on Instagram Our Sponsor: Get 50% off your first month of Care/Of by going to TakeCareOf.com/home50 and use promo code home50 at checkout! Grab your ticket to this year’s conference! Tickets went on sale this week for the 7th annual Homemaking Ministries Online Conference. The theme this year is Finding Joy in Your Home. It’s going to be our BEST online conference yet. I invite you to come check out all the speakers, sessions, and other goodies.

Are you feeling frazzled right now? Maybe overwhelmed as you look to the end of the year and a start of a new one? I've been feeling that a lot this year so I had to remind myself: There is important Kingdom work for me to do each day. I just need to refocus enough to see it. We are going to talk about the right priorities today: Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Our Sponsor: Visit JennyLife.com/HOME to get a FREE quote right now on life insurance! Our Sponsor: Go to HelloFresh.com/HOMEMAKING90 and use code HOMEMAKING90 to get $90 off including free shipping Grab your ticket to this year’s conference! Tickets went on sale this week for the 7th annual Homemaking Ministries Online Conference. The theme this year is Finding Joy in Your Home. It’s going to be our BEST online conference yet. I invite you to come check out all the speakers, sessions, and other goodies.

It's November and the Holiday's are almost here. I don't know about you, but once November hits, I feel like we hit fast forward on the year. So as we look forward to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and making memories as a family...I want to be intentional! Here's how we can start to prepare our hearts to better focus on Christ and make memories as a family. Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Linka & Resources: The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch Hidden Christmas by Timothy Keller Our sponsor: New customers get 20% off plus free shipping at Nutrafol.com coupon code: HOME Christ-Centered Christmas Kit! If you are looking for another resource that will give you the tools to focus more on Christ this year, I want to share with you my Christ-Centered Christmas Kit! The kit includes 6 audio lessons, Celebrating a Christ-Centered Christmas eBook, and a TON of printables to help you this Christmas season! And you can get the Christmas kit for 25% OFF making it just $14.95 (it’s normally $19.95). Just use coupon code: CHRISTMASBUNDLE18 at checkout for 25% off! Purchase the Christmas Kit Here The Christmas kit even includes these beautiful printable Scripture readings that go along with each day of December. It’s already December you say? Who cares! Jump in now and you will also have these next year to use!! Plus a ton of other great goodies inside the kit! Grab your ticket to this year’s conference! Tickets went on sale this week for the 7th annual Homemaking Ministries Online Conference. The theme this year is Finding Joy in Your Home. It’s going to be our BEST online conference yet. I invite you to come check out all the speakers, sessions, and other goodies.

It’s been such an insane year. And one thing has been clear to me: I haven’t been making relationships in my life a big enough priority. Listen in to the 3 areas I'm working on relationships in my life: in my parenting, in my marriage, and in my friendships. Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Find out more about the Homemaking Ministries Online Conference 2021 Preorder Crystal's NEW book: Love-Centered Parenting Our Sponsor: Get $80 off your first 5 boxes at HelloFresh.com/Homemaking80 and use code Homemaking80 Grab your ticket to this year’s conference! Tickets went on sale this week for the 7th annual Homemaking Ministries Online Conference. The theme this year is Finding Joy in Your Home. It’s going to be our BEST online conference yet. I invite you to come check out all the speakers, sessions, and other goodies.

It's been a rough year. Am I right? But 2021 doesn't have to be. Let's head into this next year with JOY! Here's what I'm working on: Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Find out more about the Homemaking Ministries Online Conference 2021 Bible Verses Mentioned: Romans 15:13, Psalm 90:14, Phil 4:4, James 1:2-4, Psalm 94:19, and 1 Thess 5:16-18 Our Sponsor: Sponsor a child today with WorldVision.org/Home Grab your ticket to this year’s conference! Tickets went on sale this week for the 7th annual Homemaking Ministries Online Conference. The theme this year is Finding Joy in Your Home. It’s going to be our BEST online conference yet. I invite you to come check out all the speakers, sessions, and other goodies.

We are gearing up for our 7th annual online homemaking conference. As we've been sharing about it this week, I thought I would share a little history of our online conferences, how they came to be, and some sneak peeks of what's coming up in our ministry and business. If you want to just chat with me for a little while, listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Find out more about the Homemaking Ministries Online Conference 2021 Our sponsor: Get your waived registration fee from LaurelSprings.com/Foundation Our sponsor: Get 50% off your first vitamin box from TakeCareOf.com/Home50 Grab your ticket to this year's conference! Tickets went on sale this week for the 7th annual Homemaking Ministries Online Conference. The theme this year is Finding Joy in Your Home. It's going to be our BEST online conference yet. I invite you to come check out all the speakers, sessions, and other goodies.

Helping our kids know God's Word (and hopefully come to cherish it) is such an important task! But it can also be a very overwhelming task. In this episode, we will share some some great resources for helping our kids know God's Word. Listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Sign up to get notified when tickets go on sale for the 2021 Homemaking Ministries Online Conference Get FREE classes for your kids! VarsityTutors.com/Home Get $10 OFF stroryworth.com/homemaking Common Questions / Misconceptions “I don’t have enough time!”— Consider repurposing regular times of the day when you’re already with your kids (mealtimes, playtimes, snack time, car rides, before nap or bedtime, walks, etc.) “I don’t know what to teach them!”— When in doubt, just read small portions of scripture, talk about it in simple language, and pray. For more, you can add resources as referenced below. “I don’t know enough!”— Learn together! “It’s hard!” — Faithfulness is always challenging, but it’s worth the cost to invest eternal truths into the hearts of our children. Reminders There is no formula, every family will do it differently and that’s okay. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Even if we do everything right (spoiler: we won’t) that doesn’t guarantee our children will follow the Lord. Hope in him, not your methods. Pray for your children to have changed desires. 5 Ways to Help Your Children Know, Understand, and Apply the Word of God Through Inductive Study Through Scripture Memory By Teaching Doctrinal Truths By Teaching Vocabulary Through the Gospel Narrative Inductive Study Ages 7+: Once a child can read, train them to think through the passage using a tool like the Kid’s Inductive Study Card (free download) as they read on their own. Have them write or draw a picture of what they learned. Ages 3+: Read a passage of scripture to your child, use a tool like the Kid’s Inductive Study Card (free download) to discuss, understand, and apply the text. Have them draw a picture of the story. Ages 0+: Focus on listening to the word of God through an audio bible or an audio storybook bible. Talk about it for comprehension at their level. Free Audio Bibles: ESV app from Crossway, The Bible App Jesus Storybook Bible Audio Version, The Big Picture Bible Audio Version ESV Devotional Psalter (as mentioned in video that our family uses) Main idea: Help your children get used to hearing the word of God and thinking deeply about it. Don’t forget to pray! Scripture Memory Ages 3+: Focus on memorizing small or long passages of scripture together. Recite it daily or set it to a tune. For more passive memorization, listen to scripture songs: Seeds Family Worship, Hide ‘em in Your Heart There are many more if you do a quick search! For more incentive, offer a small treat or work scripture memory before your child moves onto a preferred activity. Main idea: Implant the truth of God’s word in their heart so the Holy Spirit can bring it to mind. Doctrinal Truths Ages 3+: Work through catechisms (content amount appropriate for child’s age), having them memorize simple statements. New City Catechism (book and app) — Some people also use: Westminster Shorter Catechism, Heidelberg Catechism Ages 0+: Listen to doctrinal statements set to song. Songs for Saplings: #1-3, #4-6, Also ABC’s, 123’s Walking With the Wise (not catechisms, but still memorable songs about theological truths) Main idea: Teach your children simple statements that explain some of the hard-to-understand but foundational truths of the faith, so they can approach the bible with greater clarity. Vocabulary

There's never been a more important time to be in God's Word. But I know so many of us struggle to make that a habit in our own lives and also to help our kids make it a habit in their own life. In this episode, we'll hear from Laura & Emily from Risen Motherhood as they share what it means to treasure God's Word. Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Sign up to get notified when tickets go on sale for the 2021 Homemaking Ministries Online Conference Get 20% off your first order (and free shipping) to get thicker healthier hair Nutrafol.com and use promo code HOME Need help scheduling virtual doctor appointments? Check out plushcare.com/homemaking Why is it important for a mom to study God’s word? The Bible is how God speaks to us. Right thinking leads to right living. Growing in biblical literacy is how we grow in discernment. Knowing who God is shapes where our identity is found. We cannot pour into our children if we our well is empty. Two important notes: The local church is a great place to find support and learn to study the word of God. Don’t confuse a devotional with a Bible Study. While devotionals are wonderful, we should prioritize studying God’s word for ourselves. Tips for getting in God’s word as a mom of young children Plow: Read one book of the Bible over and over for comprehension. You can start with any book of the Bible, but here are a few ideas to start with: Genesis, John, Acts, 1 Peter, James Free Audio Bibles: ESV app from Crossway, The Bible App Read the entire Bible for comprehension. Reading Plans: The Bible Project, The Bible App, Read the Bible cover to cover, Chronological Bible, Navigators Gospel-Themes: For a full list and further description, click here. Trowel: The Abide Method The Abide Method Tutorial on Risen Motherhood Free Bible Study Worksheets from Risen Motherhood Bible Gateway (Where to get text for scripture. Copy and paste then print on paper in a large, doubles paced font.) Journaling Bible, ESV Study Bible, Pens Other resources we use to study God’s word from Risen Motherhood Three steps to The Abide Method Observation: What does the text say? Interpretation: What was the original context to the original audience? Apply: What does this passage tell you about who God is? How does that transform your life? Always open and close your time with prayer. Favorite prayer resources: Val Marie Paper Prayer Journal Valley of Vision, A Book of Puritan Prayers A blank notebook/journal

When I started my healthy living journey, I was so overwhelmed. It felt like there were so many areas I wanted to work on from diving into non-toxic products in my home, to healthy cooking, to figuring out healthy hormones and more. So today's episode is all about working through that overwhelm and figuring out how to set realistic healthy living goals. Let's jump in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Our Sponsor: Jenny Life - check it out to get a free quote for life insurance! Our sponsor: HelloFresh.com/Homemaking80 and use coupon code: homemaking80 to get $8o off your first month plus free shipping on your first box! Join our brand new healthy living conference! Today we are kicking off the Crafting a Healthy Home Online Conference. Today's episode is the first session from this action packed conference. You can get immediate access (with lifetime access) to the conference right now! Check it out and grab your ticket here!

I'm taking a stand this year. 2020 is the year of directing my family back to Christ and making a Gospel Centered, Christ focused atmosphere in my home. In this episode I share 7 resources we've been enjoying for helping in that regard! Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. 1. Parenting by Paul David Tripp This is a fantastic parenting book for all Christian parents to read! “God hasn’t just sent you to do his work in the lives of your children; he will use the lives of your children to advance his work in you.” “So your hope as a parent is not found in your power, your wisdom, your character, your experience, or your success, but in this one thing alone: the presence of your Lord. The Creator, Savior, Almighty, Sovereign King is with you. Let your heart rest. You are not in this parenting drama alone. Your potential is greater than the size of your weaknesses, because the One who is without weakness is with you, and he does his best work through those who admit that they are weak but in weakness still heed his call.” 2. Read Aloud Family by Sarah MacKenzie Drawing close together as a family is hard work! But it's more important than ever that I'm making the time in my day to connect with my kids and all of us together as a family. Reading together is a beautiful way to do this! The Read Aloud Family is a great book that helps with that (it even has booklists)! Her podcast The Read Aloud Revival is also a great resource. “No one will ever say, no matter how good a parent he or she was, “I think I spent too much time with my children when they were young.” “When my head hits the pillow each night, I want to know that I have done the one most important thing: I have fostered warm, happy memories and created lifelong bonds with my kids—even when the rest of life feels hard.” 3. Courageous Parenting Podcast by Isaac & Angie Tolpin Courageous Parenting is a weekly podcast for Christian parents who want to equip confident Christian kids in an uncertain world. As parents of 8 kids, they know how important and hard it is to focus on Christ in your everyday and in marriage and parenting. I love their commitment to Christ centered parenting and I love to see the team they make in this. Angie is also a very encouraging person to follow on instagram. 4. Faithful Life Podcast by Matt & Lisa Jacobson Matt and Lisa are another couple I love getting advice from. They especially shine for me when it comes to marriage advice. Their podcast is a terrific resource! "What does it mean to be a biblical Christian in Marriage, Parenting, Church, and Culture? Each episode takes on a vital issue and explores what The Word says about it – topics like sex, purity, growing in oneness as a married couple, difficult parenting issues, being a biblical Christian in a fallen world and much more, including practical steps for real success and deep growth in these areas. . . we laugh a lot, too!" 5. The Duties of Parents by J.C. Ryle This is a book I have't read yet. But Jason says it's the best book on parenting he's ever read! It's next on my to read list. It's a quick short book but an excellent one! 6. Minno Did you cancel Netflix this month? Or are you struggling in knowing what shows are safe (and encouraging) for your kids? Minno (use to be Jelly Telly) is a streaming service for kids. Basically it's like a Christian Netflix for kids shows and we are huge fans of it!! Go to Gominno.com and use coupon code HOMEMAKING for 7 day free trial. While you check out that free trial, try out our favorite shows: Theo, Owlegories, 3, 2, 1 Penguins, and of course the classic veggie tales! 7. Drawing together in our marriage This last one isn't really a resource, but it's an important one right now! With everyone going on in the world today (and having a 4 mo...

I've talked about morning baskets here on the podcast before, but usually when we talk about them, we are referring to reading more with your kids and/or homeschooling. But today we are going to chat about this morning basket concept and how everyone can use one. Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. A morning basket is simply a basket or container of some sort that contains the books/resources to help facilitate a goal. We have 3 kinds we are going to discuss today. Create a kids basket This can be extremely helpful if you are homeschooling, but you can also just use it as a reading basket with your kids who do a different form of school. For homeschool, your morning basket time is usually how you will open your homeschool day. It's an excellent way to kick off your homeschool day and to fit in extra subjects. Here's how we use ours (you can listen to this podcast episode for more info) We start off singing a few hymns, read our current devotional, and/or Bible study book. Then we move into reading different kinds of books to hit other subjects. We like to always have a poetry book, you can add in Shakespeare, art study, and cycle through different topics such as history, geography, social studies, etc. People will add in flash cards and other fun stuff to this time as well. We cover a lot of these topics now in our new unit studies we do. You can read about them here. For non-homeschoolers: You can also create a reading basket for the current books you are reading with your kids. You can use this for Saturday mornings or even each night before bed! Create a Bible basket for yourself This is what I am excited about! After talking about it for a long time, I finally have my own morning basket time. It's simple but it's a cute little crochet basket I found on Amazon. Right now it just contains my journaling Bible, my spiritual disciplines notebook, and the current spiritual/theological book I'm reading. I leave it right out on my desk by my computer. I see it multiple times a day and makes it more likely I'll dive into it! Create a hobby/fun basket Since we've done church at time so much this year, I've been inspired to keep a few things by me for easy reach. Now I like this idea of making a little hobby basket for my self or even for some of my kids. Things like: Coloring books, a tin of colored pencils, crochet, etc. Hop over on instagram and share any ideas YOU have for these baskets!! ? Check out our sponsor! Prepdish makes your life simple with incredible meal planning help! Their step by step systems shows you how to make an entire week's worth of healthy meals in just a few hours! Sign up for your very own 14 day free trial: Prepdish.com/homemaking

In the last episode I jumped right into sharing new habits & routines I've been working on for this new season. In this episode we go back to the beginning of HOW do we figure out what these new habits and routines should be. It all starts with the baby steps of creating new goals. Let's dive in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Our sponsor: Varsitytutors.com/home Our sponsor: Magicspoon.com/home and use promo code home for free shipping!

I am in a season of building routines and finding a good rhythm. Slowly, things are coming together as we head into the rest of the year. In this episode, I'm going to share some tips on building out a good routine and what is working well for us in this current season which is very full! Listen to the Podcast: You can find the notes for this episode down below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Looking for a new planner? Check out my Joy Filled Home Planning system here Our sponsor: magicspoon.com/HOME Our Sponsor: PlushCare.com/home

In the last episode, we discussed what it means to meditate upon God's Word (and why this practice is so important)! In this episode, we are going to get practical and look at HOW we mediate and incorporate it into daily life. Listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Listen to the first episode: God's Battleplan for the Mind Our sponsor: Get your waived registration fee from LaurelSprings.com/Foundation Our sponsor: Get 25% off each of your first 3 months of TakeCareOf.com/home25 Book recommendation: God’s Battle Plan for the Mind by David W. Saxton Trusting the Promises of God podcast episode Practical Ways to Grow in Trust & Peace podcast episode Reclaiming Joy in an Uncertain World podcast episode

Are you struggling with a good perspective right now? Are you letting fear or anxiety crowd your mind? In this episode we are going to look to the puritans to give us a fresh perspective on meditation and creating a battle plan for the mind! Listen in: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: God's Battle Plan for the Mind by David W. Saxton Trusting the Promises of God podcast episode Practical Ways to Grow in Trust & Peace podcast episode Reclaiming Joy in an Uncertain World podcast episode

We have been living in a renovated 32 foot travel trailer as we travel full time around the United States. While it's been amazing, it has also come with it's own challenges in living tiny. In today's epsiode I'm going to share some of the important lessons I've learned about homemaking and housekeeping that I'll be carrying with me back into a home one day. Listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Our sponsor: Get TWO weeks of free meal plans from Prepdish.com/homemaking Follow our RV adventures over at Instagram.com/Wanderingnotlostfamily

Are you struggling to find joy and peace in your life right now? Me too! In this episode we will break down some practical ways we can learn to grow in the Lord when it comes to trust and peace! Listen in: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Book recommendation: Trusting God by Jerry Bridges Book recommendation: Praying the Bible by Donald Whitney Our sponsor: LaurelSprings.com/Foundation Our sponsor: HelloFresh.com/Foundation80 coupon code: Foundation80 NOTES for this episode: It takes discipline and obedience to actively place our faith and trust: “We must not allow our emotions to hold sway over our minds. Rather, we must seek to let the truth of God rule our minds. Our emotions must become subservient to the truth.” - Trusting God 1. Start off your day with GOD not social media Before you check your email, hop on FB or turn on the news...first turn to the Lord. 2. End your day with GOD not social media 3. Surround yourself with the things of God more Listen to sermons when cooking or out for a drive Listen to Gospel Centered books that will help you have a better mindset Listen to hymns and other good worship songs SING those worship songs throughout your day Talk to your kids constantly about the hope we have in Christ 4. PRAY. Pray all the time. Daily. Hourly. Minute by minute. Feeling crushed and defeated? Stop. Open your Bible to the psalms and pray through them. When you feel like you have nothing to pray, let the psalms direct you. WHY pray scripture? “And when prayer is boring, we don’t feel like praying. And when we don’t feel like praying, it’s hard to make ourselves pray. Even five or six minutes of prayer can feel like an eternity. Our mind wanders half the time. We’ll suddenly come to ourselves and think, “Now where was I? I haven’t been thinking of God for the last several minutes.” And we’ll return to that mental script we’ve repeated countless times. But almost immediately our minds begin to wander again because we’ve said the same old things about the same old things so many times.” - Praying the Bible HOW to pray scripture: “To pray the Bible, you simply go through the passage line by line, talking to God about whatever comes to mind as you read the text.” “So basically what you are doing is taking words that originated in the heart and mind of God and circulating them through your heart and mind back to God. By this means his words become the wings of your prayers.” -Praying the Bible

Are you struggling this year to trust in the Lord? Are you wrestling with fear and anxiety? Today we are going to look to Scripture to see how we can learn how to trust in the promises of God. Listen in: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Book recommendation: Trusting God by Jerry Bridges Our sponsor for today's episode: For 25% off each of your first 3 months of Care/of, go to TakeCareOf.com/home25 and enter code home25 Passages we covered today: TRUSTING is not passive: “Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelms us.” - Trusting God Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. - Hebrews 10:23 Learning to trust: “God’s plan and His ways of working out His plan are frequently beyond our ability to fathom and understand. We must learn to trust when we don’t understand.” - Trusting God “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God[a] is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” - Isaiah 12:2 “If we are going to learn to trust God in adversity, we must believe God will allow nothing to subvert His glory so He will allow nothing to spoil the good He is working out in us and for us.” - Trusting God “God's guidance is almost always step-by-step; He does not show us our life's plan all at once. Sometimes our anxiousness to know the will of God comes from a desire to peer over God's shoulder to see what His plan is. What we need to do is learn to trust Him to guide us.” - Trusting God Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. - Isaiah 26:4 “Prayer is the most tangible expression of trust in God. If we would trust God for our persecuted brothers and sisters in other countries, we must be diligent in prayer for their rulers. If we would trust God when decisions of government in our own country go against our best interests, we must pray for His working in the hearts of those officials and legislators who make those decisions. The truth that the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord is meant to be a stimulus to prayer, not a stimulus to a fatalistic attitude.” - Trusting God Trusting him when times get tough: “In the arena of adversity, the Scriptures teach us three essential truths about God—truths we must believe if we are to trust Him in adversity. They are: • God is completely sovereign. • God is infinite in wisdom. • God is perfect in love. Someone has expressed these three truths as they relate to us in this way: “God in His love always wills what is best for us. In His wisdom He always knows what is best, and in His sovereignty He has the power to bring it about.” - Trusting God “God does not willingly bring affliction or grief to us. He does not delight in causing us to experience pain or heartache. He always has a purpose for the grief He brings or allows to come into our lives. Most often we do not know what that purpose is, but it is enough to know that His infinite wisdom and perfect love have determined that the particular sorrow is best for us. God never wastes pain. He always uses is to accomplish His purpose. And His purpose is for His glory and our good. Therefore, we can trust Him when our hearts are aching or our bodies are racked with pain.”- Trusting God Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9 We need to trust in the Lord, not in man The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. - Proverbs 29:25

Welcome to part 2 in my series on homeschooling. In this episode I am going to share our unhurried approach to homeschooling and what our daily routine looks like. Listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: What is a Morning Basket? Premade Morning Baskets Better Together - A book on morning time Teaching From Rest - the BEST book!! Charlotte Mason in a Nutshell A guide to poetry tea time How to fit in extra subjects with tea time - Raising Arrows

I know many people have questions about homeschooling right now. How to do it, what the different approaches are, what does an easy homeschool day look like and more. Listen in to Part 1 today where we go over the reasons why we chose to homeschool and 5 different "types" of homeschoolers. Listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Our sponsor for today: Get a 2 week FREE trial of the best meal planning from PrepDish.com/Homemaking The 5 types of homeschool What is the Charlotte Mason Method? Curriculum recommendations: Classical Conversations - A Classic Approach to Education Sonlight - A Literature Based Approach MasterBooks - A Charlotte Mason inspired Curriculum (Christian based!) The Good and the Beautiful - A Charlotte Mason inspired curriculum. We will be using this for our 2nd year in a row Books I highly recommend: The Call of the Wild and Free by Ainsley Arment Teaching From Rest by Sarah MacKenzie The Read Aloud Family by Sarah MacKenzie Better Together: Strengthen Your Family, Simplify Your Homeschool, and Savor the Subjects that Matter Most by Pam Barnhill

This month we finally hit the road. After 18+ months of planning, we are finally traveling around the United States in our renovated 32 foot travel trailer. Today I'm sharing what our first two weeks of being on the road have been like! Listen in here: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Follow our family adventures on Instagram.com/Wanderingnotlostfamily Subscribe to our brand new YouTube channel here!!

We've been talking a lot lately about extending hospitality. But how do we extend hospitality during unusual seasons? In this episode we are chatting about creative ways to extend hospitality and love our neighbors. Listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Get a 2 week free trial to PrepDish.com/Homemaking Book recommendation: Practicing Hospitality Book recommendation: The Gospel Comes with a Housekey

The Bible has a surprising lot to say about hospitality throughout both the old testament and the new testament. In today's podcast episode, are going to take a journey through the bible to discover what it has to say about Biblical hospitality. Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Find out more about our online training academy for Christian Homemakers: My Homemaking Mentor Book recommendation: Practicing Hospitality Book recommendation: The Gospel Comes with a Housekey Our sponsor: Ooak Dental (find them on Amazon!)

What does it mean to practice hospitality in a radically ordinary way? What if we started to view our homes as jumping off points for the Gospel and as very powerful forms of ministry? In today's episode we discuss all of that and more! Listen in: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Book recommendation: The Gospel Comes with a Housekey: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in our Post-Christian World by Roaria Butterfield Book Recommendation: Practicing Hospitality by Pat Ennis and Lisa Tatlock Our sponsor: Ooak Dental - get all your dental needs from Amazon now! Our sponsor: Get 50% off your First Care Of order by going to TakeCareOf.com and using promo code: home50

Do you ever have those days where you feel like a failure? When things just don't seem to work and you get so discouraged? I was having one of those days today and decided to turn that into a little episode on encouragement...Listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Bible study recommendation: Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin Our sponsor: visit Ooak Dental on Amazon!

My biggest desire for my home is to make it centered around Christ. And one of the best things you can implement in that regard is regular and consistent family devotions. In this episode, Jenn shares with us some tips and encouragement for joyful and consistent family devotions. Listen in here: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Sign up for the 2019 Homemaking Ministries Online Conference and get access to all of 24 amazing sessions! Our Sponsor: Look for Ooak Dental on Amazon for tooth care items! Our Sponsor: Get $10 off your custom story (great for mother's day!) from StoryWorth.com/Homemaking Follow us over on Instagram.com/JamiBalmet

In today's episode we are going to cover some practical tips for when life feels crazy or overwhelming. In those ordinary days and in the extraordinary (like having a new baby like we did this week)! Listen in here: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Our sponsor: Lauren Springs School! Get your registration fee waived at Laurelsprings.com/foundation Our sponsor: For 50% off your first Care/of order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code home50

Could you use some encouragement today? Are you struggling with financial stress, family issues, welcoming a new baby into the home soon, chronic illness, or any other number of things that can make life a bit more stressful? I think most of us are struggling with at least one thing (if not many more) right now. So today I want to give you some encouragement for those long, hard, weary days! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Our sponsor today: Get $10 off your first order from Story Worth by going to http://storyworth.com/homemaking Book Recommendations: Glory in the Ordinary by Courtney Reissig (I interviewed Courtney on the podcast here) Glimpses of Grace by Gloria Furman Treasuring Christ When Your Arms are Full by Gloria Furman Missional Motherhood by Gloria Furman Refresh by Shona Murray (I interviewed Shona on the podcast here) Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges Other Help: Coping with Homemaking and Morning Sickness (TTM #18) Lies Moms Believe (and how the Gospel refutes them) When Pregnancy (or Motherhood) Doesn’t Go the Way You Plan Facing the Fear of Motherhood – how to find JOY on those hard days!

Meal planning is something that most of us could use help on these days! Thankfully, we have Stacy Meyers from Humorous Homemaking helping us out today with her tips for finding balance in meal planning. Listen in here: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: This episode was originally a conference session in the 2016 Homemaking Ministries Online Conference. You can purchase recordings of the entire conference here. Follow Stacy over at Humorous Homemaking Our sponsor: For 30% off your first month’s subscription, visit mylola.com and enter home30 when you subscribe!

Are you hoping to read more in 2020? It's been such a busy time around here the last few weeks that I haven't really been reading. So join me in today's episode for some reading motivation as well as my favorite books I've read so far in 2020! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Follow me over on Goodreads Follow Jason over on Goodreads Find our 2020 Christian Reading Challenge for Women here Find our 2020 Christian Reading Challenge for Men here Check out our sponsor today: GoMinno.com and use coupon code HOMEMAKING for a 7 day free trial! My favorite books so far of 2020: Update on our reading goal: My goal is 156 books. I've read 34 so far which puts me 9 books behind schedule. Jason is at 39 books read and 4 behind. Fun fiction series: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Christian non-fiction: Stop Calling Me Beautiful by Phylicia Masonheimer Business book: Start with Your People by Brian Dixon Homeschooling/parenting: Pocketful of Pinecones and Lessons at Blackberry Inn Christian non-fiction: Forever by Paul David Tripp Healthy Living: Grain by Grain: A Quest to Revive Ancient Wheat, Rural Jobs, and Healthy Food Travel: How to Travel the World on $50 a Day: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter Books I'm reading next: Season's of a Mother's Heart by Sally Clarkson The Redwall Series The Gospel Comes with a House key Loving Well - Even If You Haven't Been A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning Saving Face: The Scents-able Way to Wrinkle Free Skin

Are you looking for some good resources for teaching your kids about God? Are you looking for some ways to entertain them that are GOOD resources? Today I'm sharing all my favorite Biblical resources for kids. Listen in here (and then share your own)! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Our Sponsor for today's episode: Get a 7 day FREE trial to Minno at GoMinno.com and use coupon code: Homemaking MINNO just released a complete Church-at-Home experience for kids, which includes video learning and activities for free. Website here. ADVENTURES in ODYSSEY Focus on the Family's 900+ episodes and 5 family logins free for four weeks. Website here. Books We Love: The Biggest Story by Kevin DeYoung - Ages 5-11 (Crossway is offering free streaming access to The Biggest Story: The Animated Short Film through April 12, 2020) CRAFT BOOKP: Big Picture Bible Crafts: 101 Simple and Amazing Crafts to Help Teach Children the Bible Exploring the Bible: A Bible Reading Plan for Kids by David Murry (ages 6-12) My ABC Bible Verses from the Psalms by Susan and Richie Hunt The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross The Ology: Ancient Truths, Ever New R.C. Sproul has a whole series of kids books: The Donkey Who Carried a King is a great one for this time of year! Christian Chapter book series: The Green Ember Series by S.D. Smith Little House on the Prairie Series Christian Heroes Then and Now The Wingfeather Saga Narnia Series The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls

Are you struggling to work from home right now? Is it all new and you are wondering how to get work done? Jason and I have been working from home for 5 years and we share what has worked (and what hasn't worked for us) in this episode! Listen in: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Our sponsor: Check out the Laugh And Learn Bible for Kids - a great devotional Bible for the whole family!! Curious how we make money from home? You can find out a little bit more at Our Work at Home Life (it's outdated but still accurate!) Come join me over on Instagram to chat more! The first episode in this series: Surviving Life at Home The second episode in this series: Keeping Kids Occupied At Home

It's been a long month for all of us and one in which many of us have been looking for ways to entertain our kids (and try to get some things done around the house or for work)! In today's episode, we are going to chat about some of my favorite ways to keep kids occupied, having fun, and maybe learning a bit too! Listen in here: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Join me on Instagram (check out my highlights where I share all of these favorites on video!!) Check out LaurelSprings.com/Foundation and get your registration fee waved

Are you suddenly finding yourself stuck at home with a bunch of people who also can't leave the house? It's quite an adjustment period for all of us right now but especially when you are not used to everyone being home all the time. Jason and I have been working from home together for 5 years and homeschooling our young kids for 3, so we are a bit used to this life at home schedule so I wanted to share some of our tips for you in today's episode. Listen in here: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Hf #270: Facing anxiety and the unknown Hf #271: Reclaiming joy in this uncertain world Our sponsor: Get free shipping on all business cards at Vistaprint.com/Home and promo code home Our sponsor: Get 15% off your first order at Auratenewyork.com/home and promo code home

It's been a tough month for many of us and we are facing the unknown of what Spring & Summer are going to bring. In the last episode we talked about what it means to be dependent on God and today, we are going to chat about how we can bring more JOY into our everyday lives...even during these tough times. Listen in here: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Join our Four Week Joyful Life Community here Our sponsor: Visit TakeCareOf.com and use promo code: home50 at checkout for 50% off your first box! Bible verses used: James 1:2-3: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." Romans 12:12: "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." 1 Corinthians 10:31 "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Introducing the 4 week Joyful Life Community Week one: Cultivating a Vibrant Faith Week two: Reading & Hobbies Week three: oosting your immune system Week four: Simple cooking from scratch Join our four week Joyful Life Community kicking off on March 16th!! To join us just head over to: https://findingjoyinyourhome.com/joyfullife

So many of us are facing a lot of fear, panic, anxiety, and the unknown right now. Today's episode is meant to serve as some encouragement in this fearful time. When we get anxious, where should we turn? HOW do we learn to trust in God more and become dependent on HIM, not our circumstances? Listen in here: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: All the quotes from this episode can be found in the chapter on anxiety in Phylicia Masonheimer's new book Stop Calling Me Beautiful Book recommendation: The Secrets of Contentment by William B. Barcley Book recommendation: Trusting God by Jerry Bridges Our sponsor for today's episode: Get The Laugh and Learn Bible from Phil Vischer - including 52 bible stories and family devotions! Bible Verses used: John 16:33 "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." James 1:2 says "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" "God's trustworthiness is the strength behind our battle against anxiety. Every weapon we use against anxiety must start with who He is, because only then do we invite an objective perspective and power into our circumstances. Jesus is the most trustworthy person who exists. Think about it: How can we trust Him for our eternal destiny and not trust him with our present fear?" Stop Calling Me Beautiful, page 110. I love Phylicia's definition of faith: Trust in God's goodness and ability.

We are a few weeks away from meeting baby #6 and we are getting excited! However, it also hit me this week that I really haven't prepped anything for his arrival. So this week I'm sharing all my newborn essentials as I gather this stuff all together myself. Listen in here! (A few months ago I shared my pregnancy favorites). Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Our sponsor for today's episode: Get 10 FREE melas & FREE shipping with America's #1 meal delivery kit: HelloFresh.com/Foundation10 and coupon code Foundation10 Nursing Favorites: Boppy Pillow Bamboobies Nipple Balm - Earthley Glass Baby Bottles Breast Pump Medela manual pump Haakaa manuel pump Mama's Magic Milk Boost - Earthley Mama's Milk Tea - Bulk Herb Store Nipple Shields Other Favorites: Cloth Pads (LunaPads are my current favorites) Period Underware Postpartum Balance herbs - Earthley Progessence Plus - Young Living Gentle Baby Essential Oil - Young Living Seedlings Oil - Young Living Seedlings Gift Bundle - Includes Baby wipes, diaper rash cream, baby lotion, baby wash & shampoo, baby oil, Linen spray, Bath towel, wash cloth, and basket. Muslin Swaddle Blankets Swing Organic or natural fibers baby clothing (Walmart, Target, Burts Bee's Baby) A great resource on this topic: Killer Clothes: How seemingly innocent clothing choices endanger your health, and how to protect yourself

It's super hard to use our time well. There are so many things that we can spend our time on each and every day. So how do we start to use our time well? Especially when we want to work on new habits or routines. Let's chat today about how we can use our time extremely well! Listen in here: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Sign up for the 2019 Homemaking Ministries Online Conference and get access to all of 24 amazing sessions! Our Sponsor: Check out Laurel Springs and get your enrollment fee waived Our Sponsor: Use coupon code home at checkout from Vistaprint and get free shipping on business cards!

It's been a bit of a stressful year so far. We've had sickness and lots of unusual things going on and we are moving. Yet, there is also a ton of other stuff we've had to get done. So today's episode is going to be all about: how to get things done (and be productive) in a busy season! Listen in here: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Terrific decluttering blog: A Slob Comes Clean. Her book: Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle Take a peek inside my weekly baking plans Our Sponsor: Get TWO WEEKS of free meal plans from PrepDish! PrepDish.com/Homemaking

We have some very exciting plans coming up for 2020! Our family is planning on starting full time travel around the United States. Our goal: to visit all 50 states. In this podcast episode, Jason will be joining me to share our plans and do a fun Q&A on what's ahead for the Balmet family. Listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Interested in traveling full time? There is a great FB group: FullTime Families Follow us for now over on Instagram to hear more about our travels How to get mail on the road: Escapees Mail Forwarding More info about the RV park pass we will get: Thousand Trails Our Sponsor: Get TWO WEEKS of free meal plans from PrepDish! PrepDish.com/Homemaking

Loving our husbands feels like something that should just come naturally. But once you've been married for longer than 10 minutes, you realize that loving your husband takes real, intentional work and thought. Today on the podcast we are going to be discussing some practical ways you can love your husband...for a closer marriage. Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Book recommendation: 100 Ways to Love Your Husband by Lisa Jacobson Book recommendation: 100 Words of Affirmation Your Husband Needs to Hear by Lisa Jacobson Book recommendation: 100 Ways to Love Your Wife by Matt Jacobson Book recommendation: 100 Words of Affirmation Your Wife Needs to Hear by Matt Jacobson Our sponsor today: For 50% off your first Care/of order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code home50

Do you want to raise your children to be readers? In this episode we are going to dive into encouragement and resources for creating a culture of reading in your home - for kids and mom! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Book links by reading ages mentioned: Reading to your baby & toddlers: Board books and visually pleasing books (The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, The Little Engine That Could, etc) The early reader: This is the 5-8 range. With emerging readers of my own, I know that this is a long process. Read aloud ALL the time during this age. The Usborne My First Reading Library Our very early reader books: Dash Into Learning More suggestions: Ralph S. Mouse, The Ramona Books, Henry and Ribsy, The Magic TreeHouse Books) The Middle grade reader: Ages 8 and up. Let them choose what interests them. Help guide them but let them explore worlds and ideas! Keep reading aloud at these ages. (The Redwall series, How to Train Your Dragon book series, etc.) Your Teen Reader: Keep an eye out for books labeled YA. You will still want to keep a close eye on what they are reading while also letting them explore! Help them explore reading outside their school requirements. As adults: Do the same thing!! Find the books that make you excited and don't want to put the book down...and ditch the others. Especially as busy moms, life is TOO short!! Links: Our homeschooling picks for this year (and how to instill a love of learning) – Hf #239 Get TWO WEEKS of free meal plans from PrepDish! PrepDish.com/Homemaking Resources for learning more about morning basket time: Your Morning Basket Podcast with Pam Barnhill – an entire podcast dedicated to this topic! How We Homeschool – Morning Time – by Read-Aloud Revival Simple Morning Time Plans – by Read-Aloud Revival Books to recommend: How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul and Maria Russo The Read Aloud Family by Sarah MacKenzie Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson Honey for a Child's Heart By Gladys Hunt Jim Trelease's Read Aloud Family Handbook - New 8th edition Sources for books by age: SonLight Sources for books by age: (many are preprints of old classics) The Good and the Beautiful Library Meal Planning Help for Eating Healthy: I am really excited to share with you the sponsor of today’s podcast episode: PrepDish! If you ever feel like you wish you had a little help in your meal planning, then I highly encourage you to check out PrepDish. They offer gluten-free meal plans and paleo meal plans. But you don’t have to eat a gluten-free or paleo diet in order to take advantage of all that PrepDish has to offer! In fact, almost half of their customers don’t eat those diets. The meals are healthy and non-processed and work well for anyone who is trying to eat a healthy diet. And PrepDish is offering a super special TWO week free trail when you sign up through this link (how awesome!!) When you sign up, you’ll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After only 1-3 hours of prepping on the weekend, you’ll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. I absolutely love how easy they make it. Free TWO week trial of PrepDish

The Bible calls us to encourage one another in Christ. We are to be there for those in our lives and we are to encourage them. But what does this look like on a practical level? This episode will explore how we can be encouragers to those in our life and what the Bible calls us to do in this regard. Listen in here: Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Article by 9 Marks: Encourage One Another: Giving Grace with Your Words Book recommendation: 100 Ways to Love Your Husband by Lisa Jacobson Book recommendation: 100 Words of Affirmation Your Husband Needs to Hear by Lisa Jacobson Book recommendation: When a Woman Inspires Her Husband by Cindi McMenamin Book recommendation: Loving Well (even if you haven't been) by William P. Smith Book recommendation: The Peacemaker by Ken Sande Jump into the Instagram discussion about this topic here. "WHAT IS ENCOURAGEMENT? Biblical encouragement isn’t focused on complementing someone’s haircut or telling them how good their homemade salsa tastes. That kind of encouragement is important, but the encouragement the Scriptures refer to is explicitly Christian encouragement. Encouragement is shared with the hopes that it will lift someone’s heart toward the Lord (Col. 4:8). It points out evidences of grace in another’s life to help them see that God is using them. It points a person to God’s promises that assures them that all they face is under his control. The New Testament reveals that encouragement was a regular part of the early church’s life together (Acts 13:15, 16:40, 18:27, 20:1-2, 27:36). They shared Scripture-saturated words with each other to spur one another on in faith (Acts 14:22), hope (Rom. 15:4), unity (Rom. 15:5; Col. 2:2), joy (Acts 15:31), strength (Acts 15:32), fruitfulness (Heb. 10:24-25), faithfulness (1 Thess. 2:12), perseverance (Heb. 10:25), and the certainty of Christ’s return (1 Thess. 4:18). Encouragement was and is an essential way of extending grace to each other." - 9 Marks article: https://www.9marks.org/article/encourage-one-another-giving-grace-with-your-words/ Scripture used today: We are told to be encouragers: 1 Thess 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." Being an encourager takes time and investment: Hebrews 10:23- 25 "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Encouragement comes largely from our mouths and how we communicate with those around us: Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." We are to be there in good times and bad: Galatians 6:2 "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Do it all in patience and love: 1 Thess 5:14 "And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all." 1 Peter 4:8-10 "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace"

It might sound funny to assign goals for my spiritual disciplines this year. But I want to make sure I'm being intentional with my relationship with the Lord in 2020. So here are my 4 spiritual goals that I'll be working on this year. Listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Want a simple method for Bible study? Listen to this episode: #115 Bible study book recommendations: Jen Wilkin & Katie Orr's Bible studies My spiritual disciplines notebooks I use Follow me on Instagram and join in the discussion for this podcast episode here Get TWO WEEKS of free meal plans from PrepDish! PrepDish.com/Homemaking

One of my big goals this year is to establish a better morning routine. I have 3 areas I want to tackle in my new morning routine and in today's episode, I'm going to share my new 21 minute morning routine that is simple to implement! Want to join me, listen in! Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Our Sponsor: Get 50% off your first Care Of box by going to TakeCareOf.com and using promo code home50 at checkout! Podcast Episode: Setting up a good evening routine Podcast Episode: Establishing a morning routine with 3 minutes (an interview with Kat Lee) Join me on Instagram where you can share your morning routine and join in on the discussion. See the post here.

This week on Instagram we've been chatting a lot about routines, getting more done, and saving time. So in today's podcast episode, I'm sharing my 5 tips for how to be more productive...when you have no time. Listen to the Podcast: You can find important links & info below. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Links & Resources: Look through our meal planning archives here Need help investing in yourself? Start here. Join me over on Instagram: Instagram.com/JamiBalmet Our Sponsor: Get 10 free meals plus free shipping with Hellofresh.com/Foundation10 and use coupon code Foundation10

If you are looking for the MEN'S companion reading challenge for 2020, you can find it here! Happy reading!! Welcome to the 2020 reading challenge! It's my favorite time of the year and I am so excited to see how many books we all read this year. This is our 4th year in a row running our reading challenge and it's been a blast. Jason and I have always been big readers, but having 5 kids (and one on the way) and running our own business started to squeeze the love (or the time) out of our reading life. So in 2017 we decided to run a little challenge for ourselves (and invited you to join in) and the result has been three fabulous years of reading! We have both read more in the past 3 years then we could have thought possible with this busy season of life we are in. So we are back in 2020 with our 4th reading challenge...and it's our best one yet! Below you will find out 2020 reading challenge, lots and lots of amazing book recommendations, as well as a podcast episode all about the reading challenge this year that you can listen in to! Listen to the Podcast: Listen in to my podcast episode from this week to find out more about why I developed this reading plan, tips for following along, and the reasoning behind the books and categories I chose. Or skip the podcast and head down below for all the info ? And don’t forget to subscribe to my podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. While this is our 4th reading challenge, all of the books in the actual challenge below are all new! That means if you've been following along these past 3 years, you won't have any repeats!! However, we do have categories down below if you want to pick other books to read – or feel free to swap out and put your own books in the categories. I’m ALL for broadening my reading horizon, which is why I was so excited about this new reading challenge. I think we often reach for the same kinds of books over and over again. But I want to stretch you and challenge you to reach out and pick up books you wouldn’t normally. Plus, doing a challenge like this will make you read more throughout the year. So wanna join us?!? Grab the Toolkit: The very best and easiest way to follow along is to grab my toolkit right here! The toolkit includes the full reading challenge for 2020 (for both men and women) as well as tips for finding more time to read (even when you are super busy) and how to find more books for free or cheap. Grab the Toolkit! Subscribe to my new reading challenge newsletter to follow along throughout 2020 AND get my 2020 Reading Challenge Toolkit for FREE! Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again. First Name Email Address We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer. Subscribe Powered by ConvertKit /* Layout */ .ck_form { /* divider image */ background: #fff url(data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQADAIABAMzMzP///yH/C1hNUCBEYXRhWE1QPD94cGFja2V0IGJlZ2luPSLvu78iIGlkPSJXNU0wTXBDZWhpSHpyZVN6TlRjemtjOWQiPz4gPHg6eG1wbWV0YSB4bWxuczp4PSJhZG9iZTpuczptZXRhLyIgeDp4bXB0az0iQWRvYmUgWE1QIENvcmUgNS41LWMwMTQgNzkuMTUxNDgxLCAyMDEzLzAzLzEzLTEyOjA5OjE1ICAgICAgICAiPiA8cmRmOlJERiB4bWxuczpyZGY9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzE5OTkvMDIvMjItcmRmLXN5bnRheC1ucyMiPiA8cmRmOkRlc2NyaXB0aW9uIHJkZjphYm91dD0iIiB4bWxuczp4bXA9Imh0dHA6Ly9ucy5hZG9iZS5jb20veGFwLzEuMC8iIHhtbG5zOnhtcE1NPSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvbW0vIiB4bWxuczpzdFJlZj0iaHR0cDovL25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wL3NUeXBlL1Jlc291cmNlUmVmIyIgeG1wOkNyZWF0b3JUb29sPSJBZG9iZSBQaG90b3Nob3AgQ0MgKE1hY2ludG9zaCkiIHhtcE1NOkluc3RhbmNlSUQ9InhtcC5paWQ6MUQ5NjM5RjgxQUVEMTFFNEJBQTdGNTQwMjc5MTZDOTciIHhtcE1NOkRvY3VtZW50SUQ9InhtcC5kaWQ6MUQ5NjM5RjkxQUVEMTFFNEJBQTdGNTQwMjc5MTZDOTciPiA8eG1wTU06RGVyaXZlZEZyb20gc3RSZWY6aW5zdGFuY2V...