Love, Nurture, and a Little Dysfunction

No matter how great the intentions or how purposeful the parenting, our daughters will always have something quirky, different, and unique about them. There will be moments when they blame that strangeness on their life's crisis and there will be moments when they are more than grateful for it because of who it fashioned them to be. 


This weekend, talk to your daughters about what they're feeling about life at the moment. Start by asking simple questions like, do you feel you're doing well in school these days? Or, how are your friends doing? 


You want to know about them, but they'll be less hesitant to answer when the question is indirect. Then end with asking her how you can pray for her specifically this coming week. Big test? Boyfriend? Crush? Friend drama? Fears? Worries? 


Then let her talk. 


You can do it mama! Your daughter wants more of you than she may let on. Make yourself available this weekend. 

Life is Like a Pie Chart

As much as I hate to admit this: my daughter is officially taller than me.  Actually, let me recant that. She’s at least, officially, the same height as me (I’m not quite convinced that she’s taller).  In any case, this “measurement” of her growth reminded me of how much she’s growing and changing every day. 

Before I sound too cliché, I’ll get to the point. 

Her physical growth reminds me that she’s growing in every other capacity, as well. Not to mention at a pace that I find hard to keep up with! I look at it as my job to stay ahead of  her pace, so that I can be prepared to lead and guide her through each growing pain.  But, let’s be honest. There are only so many hours in the day, and I’m only one person. 

I can’t possibly be there to influence her for every moment.  So that led me to this incredibly random thought: 

If life were a pie chart, how would I determine the measure of each influence in my daughter’s life???

Here’s  a list of things I came up with that are probably some of the most prominent influences on her life and decision making right now. These are the pieces of the pie chart, that I see in my daughter’s life:

·      Our home & how we live our lives in it

·      Her friends

·      Her peers / peer pressure

·      Culture (tv, handheld devices, music, etc.)

·      Her teachers & Bible study leaders

·      Church / Devotional Time

·      My example

·      The unknown (there’s always a factor we parents don’t know about)

What does your daughter's life pie chart look like?

What else is an influence on your daughter’s life?

And how big is each slice?

I encourage you to think through things realistically (not just how you’d idealize it) and visualize how big each of these factors are in influencing your daughter’s character building & development.

For me and my daughter, this silly pie chart idea is a visual reminder, that just like a pie – there are many pieces of influence that contribute to my daughter’s decision making and character development.

And as a mother, I have the responsibility to determine how large each slice of influence is, by what I allow in her life. 

But sweet sisters, we both know it's only by God's grace that we know how to manage that precious, lip gloss loving pie chart. We must seek Him in everything we do, especially as mothers.

Will you seek and graph with me?

Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

-Emily F.

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You are Super Mom

Yes you are.

A Prayer For Moms

Dear Father God, 

I pray for the women reading this today. I pray that you would pause whatever is happening in their lives, for just a moment.  That you would pierce their circumstances, their hearts, and their minds. I pray, Lord, that you would bless them. Encourage them. Speak to them.  Affirm them.  Build them up as women – direct their steps as mothers.

Lord, I pray over their mother-daughter relationships – that you would bless them with favor, love, and kinship. I pray that you would bond their hearts. And I pray that you would help each mom and daughter to be a source of inspiration and encouragement to each other, as they pursue their dreams.

Lord, I rebuke the enemy’s efforts to drive a wedge between mom’s & daughters.

I pray that we, mothers, would stand strong in our faith and relationship with you; that we might exemplify the goodness and joy in being a woman after God’s own heart.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen!

Written by  Emily F.

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8 Questions We're Afraid to Ask Our Daughters (But Need To)

As moms, the mind and thought process of our teenage daughters can be frightening, mostly because we were them! We know what it's like to be a teen, to have raging hormones, and fight drama. But our girls need us. 

They need us to ask them the tough questions and bring up the complicated subjects because if we don't, someone else will. And the perfect plan of God calls for parents, mothers, to be raising up their children in the ways of the Lord. 

So we've laid out some questions we think are awkward but necessary for conversation with your girls. Try one or two this weekend! ~

1. If you could get me to change ONE of my mom-rules, what would it be?

2. Is there anything you’ve ever wanted to ask me, but were afraid to?

3. What do you think about dating?

4. Do you have a crush?????

5. What have you heard & what do you think about Drugs & alcohol?

6. How do you feel when it comes to talking to me about something “serious” or “sensitive” (like: your body, peer pressure, etc)? Uncomfortable? – Nervous? – Okay? – Fearful? – All of the Above?

7. If you could have ANYTHING what would it be?

8. If you could escape one feeling for the rest of your life, what would it be?

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Communicating With Your Teenage Daughter | A Conversation with Susie

I have been following Susie Shellenberger since I was a freshly awakened middle school girl. I was first introduced to her magazine, then called Brio now called Susie Mag, by my parents. It was like an initiation gift into young womanhood. 


Susie has been working in the field of youth and teenage girls for years and her expertise is not only insightful and impressive, but full of hope and health. (Read more about Susie here)


Below is a talk she gives on Communicating With Your Teenage Daughter. Take a listen and tell us what you think. (Click on the image below)