Praises of a Wife and Mommy

About the Book He Calls You By Name is a personalized 100-page devotional experience that weaves the reader’s name throughout Scripture, creating a deeply meaningful and personal way to engage with God’s Word. More than just a devotional, it invites readers into a personal encounter with Scripture reminding them that God’s Word is not distant, but intimate and alive. Rooted firmly in Scripture, this unique devotional stands apart by transforming familiar passages into something that feels uniquely spoken to you. Designed to feel thoughtful, personal, and memorable, it makes a meaningful Christian gift for milestones, encouragement, or any season where someone needs to be reminded they are seen and known by God. My Review One of the first things I noticed and truly appreciated is the simplicity of this devotional. It has a flip-book style with no dates attached, which removes the pressure of having to keep up daily. That alone makes it feel more inviting and approachable, especially du...

  About the Book Navigate Life Like a Pro is a 100-day devotional created specifically for tween and middle-grade boys, designed to help them build strong faith, lasting confidence, and real-life resilience. These in-between years can be overwhelming, as boys begin to wrestle with identity, friendships, peer pressure, anxiety, and difficult choices. This devotional offers practical, faith-based guidance to help them navigate those challenges with courage and clarity while strengthening their relationship with God. Through engaging stories, meaningful reflections, and action-oriented steps, boys are equipped to build confidence and resilience in the face of self-doubt or setbacks, respond wisely to bullying and social pressures, and make thoughtful decisions about real-life challenges like sex and drugs. It also encourages growth in biblical wisdom, developing a daily walk with God, and surrounding themselves with positive, value-driven friendships. Each devotion is relatable, prac...

  Operating a charity requires dedication and compassion. However, its operation also presents unique challenges. Charities often become the target of cyber threats, financial fraud, reputation risks, and other forms of harm. Protecting your charitable organization doesn’t just involve protecting its immediate mission but ensuring its long-term sustainability too. In this blog, we will look at some of the strategies that can help keep harm away while creating an atmosphere conducive to long-term growth and trustworthiness. Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash Understanding Risk in the Nonprofit Sector Charities strive tirelessly to make an impactful difference with limited resources, yet their unique focus on good can leave them exposed to risks other sectors don’t encounter. Be it protecting donor data, adhering to laws, or protecting organizational reputation, understanding the threats charities are facing is the first step toward mitigating them and taking preventive rather than re...

  Image credit Grief, especially in the early days, can be all-consuming. It's likely that at this point, you might not be fully aware of the decisions you need to make or what the best choices are when it comes to sorting the details of funerals or saying goodbye. And there can be a lot of temptation to make things more complicated or elaborate than you need to. And for many people, a smaller personal goodbye can be just as impactful and make things easier to manage. It doesn't need to be what looks right for others or what they might expect, but what you want and need. This post is going to look at some things you can focus on when organizing a simple personal goodbye to a loved one. What Farewell Feels Right You can decide between a traditional funeral service or you can do something more flexible, like a memorial service or celebration of life . The difference isn't just the wording, it's the flow of the whole day. Each one is distinctly different. A traditional fun...

  Even though my kids are grown, there’s something so special about opening up a beautiful children’s book rooted in God’s Word. I recently had the chance to go through a few new titles, and while I may not have little ones at home anymore (hence the stuffed animals making a guest appearance in my photos 😊), I immediately thought of our church classrooms and the children who will be so blessed by these. I truly appreciate kids books that don’t shy away from truth but instead present it in a way that is both engaging and deeply rooted in Scripture. These four books do just that—each one offering something unique while pointing children back to Jesus. Jesus, Our True Friend Jesus, Our True Friend is a beautiful collection of seven stories from the life of Jesus that clearly and lovingly share the gospel message. Each story reminds children that Jesus came as our Rescuer—to mend what is broken, bring us back to God, and show us what true love really looks like. The storytelling is h...

 I think I wrote before about my  last appointment with my surgeon and the frustration I felt when he asked me to do something that, at the time, felt impossible — a single calf raise. In the moment I felt a little judged, especially when he said to my daughter, “Make sure your mom does her exercises.” I will admit… I was offended. Not deeply, but enough that it stuck with me. And honestly, I do not want to be someone who is easily offendable, so that in itself has been something for me to reflect on. This week I go back to see that doctor again. I know there is a good chance he will ask me to try the same thing. Yesterday I tried again, and once again the tears came. I still could not fully do it. In that moment it felt like failure. But my husband gently reminded me of something I needed to hear — progress. He pointed out that a few months ago I could barely put weight on my foot. Then I progressed to using both legs. Now I can shift most of my weight onto the right leg...

I love the idea of simplifying my mornings, so when I tried the Hazelnut Protein Coffee from Naked Nutrition, I was excited about getting my protein and caffeine in one scoop. As someone who values clean ingredients and fueling my body well, this felt like a great option. First, the positives. I really appreciate Naked Nutrition’s commitment to simple, clean ingredients without a lot of unnecessary additives. The concept alone is a win, protein plus coffee saves time and makes busy mornings easier. Getting that extra protein boost alongside my caffeine is honestly my favorite part. Now for my honest experience. The first time I mixed it, I used water and just a spoon… and quickly realized that was not enough. It didn’t blend well and was a bit clumpy. I also tried adding it to already-made hot coffee, and that didn’t work great either — it turned chunky and didn’t dissolve smoothly.  I also realized I don't need more caffeine because this powder is comparable to a full cup of ...