26Jun

Connecting With the Heart

Love, Joy, Peace

 

Malice, Anger, Envy

 

They all spring forth from the heart.

 

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

 

From the heart our emotions flow. They can either course gently like that of a stream or crash violently like a torrent of raging rapids. And this rush of emotion isn’t isolated to adults. Children can experience intense emotions.  So how do we reach theirs heart so that loves flows freely from them?

 

[bctt tweet=”Connection is the KEY to unlocking the hearts of children.” username=”inspiredfully”]

 

When we reach out to children with gentleness and humility we create an atmosphere ripe for connection. And connection is an essential part of the human experience. Research Professor, Dr. Brene Brown says,

 

“We are hardwired to connect with others, it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives and without it there is suffering.”

 

Jesus was a Master at connection. We see Him do it time and time again. He’d ask a question as a way to gently invite people into a dialogue with Him. We see Him ask the Samaritan woman for a drink. We see Him ask His disciples why they were afraid.  He asks Peter who do you say I am.  He even asks the Father why He’d been forsaken.

 

Children must know we care and caring is found in connection. Connectedness occurs when we purposefully seek to engage in their world. Connectedness is about doing life together.  Doing life together not just a popular hashtag for marriage but is a powerful illustration of engaging and connecting with the hearts of children.

 

Just as readily as we’d dispense rules and expectations, we ought to be even more vigilant about engaging with them around the things that are important to them. Do you know who they eat lunch with at school, what they’re afraid of, what makes them smile the most? Do you know what they’d do with a million dollars, where they’d travel if they could visit any place on the planet and what one thing has caused them the deepest hurt?

 

Perhaps you have a child that is forthcoming and readily shares with you.  No matter your child’s temperament, the onus is on you to be PURPOSEFUL in connecting hearts with the children in your circle of influence. And while it’s necessary, it isn’t always easy to carry out.

 

Enter the Kai Kai Brai Shared Journal to help you along the journey.

 

 

Shared journaling is an effective strategy for connecting hearts. And the benefits of journaling are immeasurable. From increased intellectual ability to enhanced emotional intelligence, writing down our thoughts and feelings is an activity that yields a high return. Journaling is a stress reliever, confidence booster and self-esteem builder. In journaling you have an opportunity to confirm identity, self worth, and value. It is a safe place for your child to share with you. From what made them smile today to their deepest fears, a shared journal gives them a trusted place for connection.

 

In my book Purposeful Parenting, the chapter on Connecing With the Heart ends by advising the parent to begin a shared journal. And my go to journal of choice is the Kai Kai Brai Shared Journal. This journal is perfect for mom & daughter, mom & son and also for trusted adult & child. Not always sure where or how to begin journaling? This journal has already figured that out for you. With journaling prompts, fill in the blanks, about us info and more, you don’t have to feel like the topics are forced but have a smooth entry way into getting the child to open up.  And the journals are perfect for children of any age. They are beautifully designed and durable too!

 

 

The creator of the journal and I are both so passionate about you connecting hearts with children that she’s made a special offer available to you. And for the creator this is not just a business venture. This mom of 3 is committed to showing children love in ways they can perceive and receive and she’s taken up the call to help others purposefully connect with children. When you order your journal, enter the coupon code Parenting10 to receive 10% off your purchase.

 

The journey of Purposeful Parenting calls for us to be intentional, to be PURPOSEFUL in our interactions with children. Just think, if every child knew in their heads and felt in their hearts, unconditional love from caring adults…

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Chasing Community, Grace and Truth

22Jun

What Can Happen With A Changed Heart?

In order to give people the love they need and deserve, one’s OWN heart has to be transformed.  That change requires us to do the hard work. The work of deep excavation. But if you are willing to do the work, the reward will be immeasurable. The ripple effect of love has the power to heal our land.

 

Love Triumphs.

 

With a heart transformed, you are free to love without fear.  So much of parenting is done from a place of fear; fear of what they’ll do and who they’ll become. But when we illuminate our hearts with love, fear is cast away and we are free to give them the love they need and deserve.  When we love children wholly, we truly have the ability to change our world, one heart at a time.

 

This is just one nugget from my recent interview with Joy Williams. Come on over to hear the rest.

 

What are you waiting for….CLICK HERE to jump over to Joy’s where we’re sharing hope for the heart and joy to the soul.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

16Jun

Beware of These Three Signs

Superwoman

 

Wonder Woman

 

Storm

 

Somehow the world has come to believe that we really are SUPER women. And we’ve bought into the lie. “I’m every woman, it’s all in me.” I can be assertive in the boardroom, passionate in the bedroom, gentle and patient with my children, slay on the runway, slice and dice in the kitchen, all at the same time with a smile on my face. And in the meantime in between time, I don’t require self-care because I don’t have time for ME while I’m tending to everyone and taking care of everything.

 

We’ll I’m come by today to shed the light of truth on this situation here and now. I pray this frees someone today for whom the Son sets free is free indeed!

 

The ability to do all and to be every woman because “It’s all in me” comes at a price.

 

Have exhaustion and weariness become your standard mode of operating? Have you been pouring out pouring out and pouring out some more until you’ve got nothing left?

 

To give and to serve are dear to the heart of God.

 

Repeatedly Jesus gave and served. But we also see Him break away from the crowds to reflect, restore and refresh so that He could then reengage from a place of power and strength.

 

Have you embraced self-care as part of your wellness routine? Are you exhibiting these three signs that indicate self-care is sorely overdue?

 

Join me over at TiffyTalks to continue reading.

12Jun

3 Steps For When You’re Feeling Weak

“Girl, you are superwoman!”

 

For once and for all let me dispel this myth. I am no superwoman, more like super mistake maker, super grace receiver, super Jesus girl. Truth be told, I am vulnerable. I get tired. I too have my kryptonite. If only you saw me when the pot of rice was on the stove burning, the baby was crying, trying to help three with homework and emailing the teacher about a missing assignment all at the same time; you’d would see my fragility.

 

Without my Jesus, I am nothing. Apart from the vine we are nothing.

 

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

 

That’s as super as it gets. We should all strive to be super vine clingers. Have you ever tried to be Superwoman? Have you ever tried to do and be everything to everybody? How’d that work out for ya? I don’t know about you, but that left me depleted. You can only love through Christ who strengthens you. You can only give through Christ who strengthens you. You can only serve through Christ who strengthens you.

 

Beware of falling into the pit of perfection. Perfect wife. Perfect employee. Perfect mommy. There is no such thing. You don’t have to try to do all and be all. Stay in your lane and be proficient at what God’s called you to do. He’s given YOU a specific assignment so stick to it. It’s when you go picking up other things, in all YOUR super strength and might that your hands get too full you can get into trouble.

 

I invite you to join me in clinging fiercely to the Father. From this place you don’t have to worry about perfection but will be the recipient of his unmerited favor. Do you ever feel unqualified, inadequate, weak or incapable? Sometimes I do. Sometimes I wonder if all my efforts will pay off. But the wondering is usually a trick of the enemy. When he sees a crack in your finish, he attempts to seep his poison in. He’ll try to play on your weaknesses and parenting is an area in life where we can feel the most weak.

 

So what do you do when you’re feeling weak?

 

  1. Give Yourself Permission To Be Vulnerable

 

Open your heart, release your concerns and fall into the loving arms of the Lord. In His strong arms you can be vulnerable.

 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

 

Not only are you made strong when you are weak, but God wants to use you right in that place of weakness.

 

When people see me with my children and say things like “Motherhood is your ministry” my flesh used to prickle because the voice of the accuser said, “Yeah but they didn’t see you roll eyes at your kid last night”. But I know the truth. I KNOW that the Lord has supernaturally taught me to love, nurture and shepherd this little flock. I know he’s using me right at my point of weakness. Just like He used Moses. Doubting Moses. Unqualified Moses. Fearful Moses. Moses who was fearful and ran from his staff when it turned into a snake; God told him to PICK UP that very thing and use it as a sign. The same thing that Moses ran from was the very instrument that would hit a rock to bring water to nourish the people and would part the waters so they could cross on dry land. God used Moses’ weakness and He wants to use yours too.

 

[bctt tweet=”Your weaknesses aren’t flaws to be magnified but opportunities for God’s grace to be glorified.” username=”inspiredfully”]

 

  1. Acknowledge That It Is Okay To Make Mistakes

 

Making mistakes is part of the human experience. Give yourself permission to experience a full range of emotions and partake in the depth and breadth of your personal experiences, including the messy days.

 

  1. Be Compassionate With Yourself

 

To be compassionate is to care about the misfortune or suffering of others. But where is your self-compassion? I say you owe it to yourself. Be compassionate with yourself. The danger of being too harsh with you is that it can translate to being harsh with others. If you are overly concerned with how other views you, you can end up being harder on your loved ones than necessary. Then you can become even harsher on yourself for having been harsh to your loved one when that wasn’t even your original intent. This can be a painful cycle. So as you extend compassion and grace to others, make sure you start with yourself.

 

Remember, in your weakness you are made strong. Be strong in His might today.

 

To continue this story, pick up a copy of my new book, Purposeful Parenting.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Happy to partner with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Chasing Community, Grace & Truth

07Jun

Are You An Intentional Encourager?

“Don’t!”

“STOP!”

“No!”

 

So easily these words can flow off the tongue of a loose-lipped mama and I’m talking about myself here. Think about the words you’ve shared with your children in the last four hours. Were the bulk of your words corrective or encouraging in nature?…READ MORE

 

Today I’m hanging out with an Intentional Encourager Nisha Muschette from Embracing The Call. She has a heart for living intentionally and I’m delighted to sit with her. Come join us.

01Jun

Will You Allow Yourself To Be Led?

All morning the song played in my head, “You’re a good good Father. That’s who you are. And I am loved by you.”

Those words were a balm for my weary soul. Though it doesn’t often consume me, the void I felt in my heart this Mother’s Day was palpable. My mother died when I was just 18 years old. And even before that, her presence in my life was irregular.  So as I sat, heart hurting, wondering how on earth I could even mother my little flock of six, when I had not been mothered myself, God bought me a reminder……READ MORE

 

Today, I’m hanging out again with my friend Katie M. Reid. Katie is a sweet friend, doting sister, loving mama and she’s got a heart for Jesus. Come JOIN US

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