The second workshop that I attended at the Hearts at Home conference was called “Sticks! A plan for hope and reduced stress.” It was led by Nadia Swearingen-Friesen. I appreciated Nadia’s transparency and encouragement. The three main points that I gleaned from this workshop were: Know your dreams for your family and have a plan to implement, Our job is not to raise only good children but kind, compassionate and faithful adults, and Teaching kids the importance of playing with their siblings.

Have you ever wanted to go to a place to receive training in mothering? To help you sharpen your skills? To be surrounded by Moms just like you? I attended a conference that met each of these needs. It is called Hearts at Home and was held on April 21-22 in Peoria, IL. This is my third year attending this conference. Every time I go, I walk away refreshed, challenged and encouraged. In the next several blog posts, I will share the three key points I learned from each workshop or main session. My desire and prayer are that you will able be refreshed, encouraged and challenged in your parenting journey after reading these blogs.

God spoke to Joshua before the victory of Jericho even happened. And Joshua took God at His word. Why? Because Joshua trusted God Even Before. It seemed impossible to everyone else but not Joshua. What is something you are facing right now that seems impossible? Is it a sickness or a broken relationship? Do you have an injury that is just not healing? Or maybe it is a mindset or a pattern that is so ingrained in you that you can’t possibly see how you can change. You may feel like the walls are so thick and high that you can’t imagine them coming down.

One of my favorite hobbies is Scrapbooking. I love being able to look at all my pictures and remember all the special memories and ways God has worked in our lives. Several weekends ago, I spent most of a weekend organizing my pictures from 2015. So many memories came flooding back. One, in particular, stood out to me. It was my trip in June to Ohio to see my adopted Dad and Mom, Don and Nancy.

I am sorry. Is this something you say to a friend when they share about something they are going through? Do you listen for their benefit? Or does your focus shift to yourself and what you are going through? Listening and truly caring. I know this is an area that I need to work on. It’s tough though. But the more I share about things happening in my life, the more I am learning what people need. The past year has been a year of many trials for me. I have had various responses to all that I am going through. Sometimes I have just wanted to yell at a person because of how they respond. Other times, I have wanted to hug the person because they get it.

Embrace this time. One sunny morning this was what I heard from the Holy Spirit at a moment where I needed to make a choice. Read on to hear the whole story. The sun is shining and the weather is just perfect. Finally, the kids can get outside to play. Analiah and Caleb raced to the backyard and started playing. I headed for a patio chair with a book in hand. I put my feet up and settled in to read. The next thing I heard was “Mommy, can you push me on the swing?”

Do you enjoy driving on snowy roads? Or does just reading that question add stress to your life? I am not a fan of driving on snowy roads. My hands ache from holding the steering wheel so tightly. Over the years my fear has lessened. I am always thankful when the winter is done though. I much prefer clear roads.

How do you respond when someone gives you a gift that was unexpected? Do you respond with a simple thank you? Or are you like me who responds with “Thank you, but you didn’t have to.” God is teaching me the importance of receiving. He has endless resources and longs to bless and encourage when we need it the most. I believe that sometimes we get too caught up in our busy lives that we miss how God is looking out for us. God showed up in a powerful way not too long ago. He just wanted to remind me that He loves me.