One of the most profound ideas that I have carried with me throughout my mothering journey thus far is something I read back when children were just a wonderful hope I was trying to prepare for, and that was the idea that we, as parents, are our children’s first introduction to how life works. We…
Category Archives: To Raise Them Up
Walking Wounded
I’ve had many moments as a Mom where I’ve felt like one of the “walking wounded.” Not just physically, of course, but emotionally or spiritually as well. At those times, I find myself struggling; either trying to find peace in a particular situation or learn something through a personal trial, or deal with pain. And…
Parenting on the Pendulum
So much of the Christian life is about balance. Like a pendulum swinging back and forth, a journey far in one direction is often followed by a journey equally far in the opposite direction. A Christian who has focused for years on all that God expects of His people may wake up one day exhausted…
The Power of Sympathy
Historically, we haven’t been perfect at encouraging our children. We talk about that in our book, The Values-Driven Family: We both grew up in homes where we knew we were loved; our parents did their very best in every way to bring us to adulthood successfully. Yet we both also would say that we grew…
Leading By Example
“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” Proverbs 14:23 My husband and I have often talked about how to instill a good work ethic in our children. Certainly, our children see me work around the house and know their father goes to work…but what about showing them the value…
The Secret to Mothering with More Patience
My biggest discouragement as a mother is my own lack of self-control and the constant reminder in my attitude of my sinfulness. What I desire? To parent with all gentleness and grace, facing each challenge with a gospel-lesson. Reality? Not always that. But if we ask, then listen, the Lord speaks. And He says to me, as…
Sheltering, Backlash, Fear, and Balance (Hopefully)
It always makes me squirm just a bit, wonder a little. I come across these testimonies of people who have fled out of big family, homeschooling culture, people who feel like it really damaged them, even ruined their lives. And I always ache for them when they tell of the harsh emptiness of trying to…
Jen Shepherd 
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