Christmas and The K.I.S.S. Principle

Kate Battistelli
Discipling Children

t may be the most wonderful time of the year but if we're not intentional, it can quickly morph into the craziest, busiest and most stressful season of all. My antidote? The K.I.S.S. Principle.  What's the K.I.S.S Principle? An easy acronym meaning this:

Keep It Simple Sister.

This time of year less really is more. Less stress, less commercialism, less money spent, and fewer expectations equals more time with family, more chance to appreciate the wonder of the season, more peace of mind and enjoyment of all this beautiful season has to offer.

Letting Go of Mommy Guilt

Elisa Pulliam
Babies, Boys, Following God, Girls, Hope, Parenting, Prayer, Special Needs, Teens, Toddlers

If I knew that slowing down to say hello to a fellow mom could land me in such a pool of mommy guilt, I would have kept on going. She started off the conversation with a rather innocent question, but before I knew what happening, one of my comments opened up a door to an accusation I never saw coming . . . and that triggered an onslaught of mommy guilt.  I nodded along with a smile on my face, but but on the inside, I was on the brink of tears and feeling like a failure as a mom.  

Guilt has the power wreck us, but God’s grace always has the upper hand when we yield to His truth. {click to tweet}

I pressed on with the details of the evening, feeling icky and wishing I could go home. All I wanted to do was talk to my husband, and yet looking back, I’m so glad that was not an option. Instead, I ended up emptying my heart before the Lord each time the emotions rose up inside of me.

If You're That Mom Who is Dreading the Holidays {How to Find Joy}

Lisa Jacobson
Faith, Family Management, Following God, Hope, The BetterMom Updates

How to Keep the Joy in Your Christmas This Year

Stick to your priorities. Jettison everything else. I love this one because it makes everything so much easier. Once I know what is important to us - to our family - then everything else gets a polite, "No thank you." You are not obligated to attend every craft bazaar, cookie exchange, or Christmas play. You are only committed to what is best for your family.

Reject all commercialism. It has no place in your home. Block advertisements, mute the television,  and throw out the garbage coming at you. Pay zero attention to the world's attempt at redefining Christmas. They've got it all wrong. Stick to the Real Story of Christ.

A Unique Opportunity to Give Back {ePantry & Mercy House Kenya}

Ruth Schwenk
Homemaking, The BetterMom Updates

Just a couple of weeks ago I shared the incredible new online service called ePantry with you. Well today I am so so soooooo excited to share that I am partnering with ePantry again, but this time to GIVE. Give? Yes to give!! Let me explain. Through The Better Mom, ePantry is giving $15 for every new customer order to an incredible ministry that I have shared with you in the past called Mercy House Kenya. The Mercy House exists to raise funds to provide alternative options for pregnant girls living in the streets of Kenya. The Mercy House aids them in education, nutrition, housing, prenatal care, Bible study, counseling and job skills for sustainable living. I would love for you to join me in supporting this incredible ministry!

How Your Prayers Change the Future

Tricia Goyer
Discipling Children, Following God, Hope, Parenting, Prayer

I'd like to think I'm an expert pray-er. I can clearly see how my prayers changed things. For example, I have three little kids—not birthed from me—running around my house who are examples of that. Yet the way that my prayers changed the future is different than you think.

God is not a genie in a bottle. My prayers weren't effective because I figured out the right words to make God do what I want to do. I used to think that. As a young Christian I'd try all sorts of things:

  • praying in the morning
  • praying at night
  • praying on my knees
  • praying out loud
  • journaling my prayers

I wouldn't admit it out loud, but I believed deep down if I said the right things, at the right time, in the right way, that God could be swayed.

Six Words My Husband Needs To Hear

Ruth Simons
Faith, Following God, Marriage/Relationships

They say that the longer two people are married, the more they begin to look like one another. They complete each other’s sentences and can order for their spouse at a restaurant. They know when the thermostat is set too high or too low for the other, and they can tell who the other is speaking to, simply by how he answers the phone.

And yet with all that is comfortable, assumed, predictable, and known between a husband and a wife, we often overlook six simple words we so easily offer to others:

How can I pray for you?

Though I can’t relate to my husband and I growing in likeness, I do realize how much 16 years has knit our hearts to one another and melded our goals and desires. Yet, have you ever heard your spouse share a prayer request to others in a way that surprised you? I have.

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