The Balanced MomCast | For Overwhelmed Christian Moms Seeking Time Management, Work Life Balance, and Focus

I grew up in the 70s and 80s where I never learned about sexual purity. Then, I started parenting in the late 90s on the tail end of the Purity Movement. Neither of those approaches worked well for me as a mom. Today I share what did. All moms have a superpower. Yes, even you. What you may see as a flaw or a weakness is actually evidence of your unique design and reflects the heart of God. Take this fun 5-minute quiz to discover your superpower and learn how it shapes the heart of your child. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

For me, middle school was the most challenging season of parenting, hands down. It wasn’t all bad, but it was tricky and confusing. If you have a middle school student, this essay alone is worth the price of admission. Today, I offer you literally everything I know about parenting through this short season. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

For many of you, parenting through the middle school and teenage years is the most challenging season of all. If you were sitting across the table from me in the midst of an exhausting season with your teen, this is what I’d say to you. This is Chapter 35: A Parenting Pep Talk. To Me, From Me. But Also, To You. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

If you know me at all, you're already aware that I have a complicated relationship with social media. What you may NOT know is that this complication began almost immediately after I joined back in 2008. And I’ve been writing about social media and its effect on me since that time. This is an essay I wrote 11 years ago after a 20-day Facebook break. Is it time for YOU to break up with social media? Take the quiz and find out. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

Each year in January, I compile a list called “What I Learned Last Year.” I include several of these lists in this book because they mark changes I made in my parenting, my marriage, and my health. This was written at the end of 2013--a doozy of a year (yes, I just used the word "doozy"), when I learned so much about everything. This is Chapter 34: What I Learned Last Year, Vol 1. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

If you’re listening in real time, it’s the end of September. But the essay I’m reading today is all about the craziness that is May. No matter what time of year, if you’re finding yourself overwhelmed and double booked this is for you. Today, we begin Part Three: The Middle School and Teen Years. This is Chapter 33: I Had a Dream. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

I wrote this chapter when my kids were 10 and under. Today, that 10-year-old is now married, and the youngest child who was in my bed that morning is now in college. Let this serve as a brief reminder to dress for the season you’re in, because the seasons will change. This is Chapter 32: Flip Flops in the Snow. Listen in. This concludes Part Two: The Elementary School Years. Tune in next week as we begin Part Three: The Middle School and Teen Years. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

This is a short and sweet note of thanks to every mom out there who has already had a full day, and it’s only 7:30 am. This is Chapter 31: Dear Mom, Thank You. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

This is for all you creative mamas out there. If you’ve ever faced disapproval, indifference, or outright rejection when sharing your art, I’ve got some encouragement for you. This is Chapter 30: Why You Must Not Obey the Rules. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

If you’ve ever had a really bad day, lost your cool, or wished you could rewind and start over, this chapter is for you. Not only do I offer a way to recover, but I also offer hope that your bad day (if handled well) will lead your kids to the feet of Jesus. This is Chapter 29: What to Do When You Wish You Would Have Handled Things Differently. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

The chapter I’m reading today begins with a quote I had come across accidentally from John Ortberg and his conversation with Dallas Willard. This quote has since become a mantra for overly busy people everywhere. But for me, it helped me navigate the real-time tension I was feeling between pursuing a writing and speaking ministry while trying to take care of the three small children in our home. This is Chapter 28: Bringing Serenity Back. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

Some chapters of the book don’t lend themselves to reading aloud, but I’ll do my best here. This is a Facebook comment thread back when I was still on Facebook and Facebook was still fun. I hope this episode brings some laughter to your day. This is Chapter 27: Confessions of a Real Mom. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

This is one of my favorite pieces I’ve ever written. The 10-year-old daughter I write about is now 26 and married. It’s a good thing I practice reading through these before I hit record, because I just bawled my eyes out, is what I’m saying, and I can’t promise you it won’t happen again. This is Chapter 26: Coffee With Mom Comes Full Circle. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

One of the most challenging tasks for me as a mom when my kids were in elementary school was helping them with their math homework. But as God often does, He took this struggle and used it as a life lesson for my relationship with Him. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

Just in time for school start, my best tips for starting off the school year right with your child's teacher. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

Sometimes the “other things I want to tell you” are random thoughts with absolutely no value except to make you laugh. This is one of those essays, appropriately entitled Nine Random Thoughts. This is Chapter 23 of Mom, You're Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

I have never met another woman who doesn’t struggle with comparison. And so, I tend to write about the comparison trap quite a bit. This is an essay I wrote about comparison in 2014, in the middle of one of the most challenging decades of parenting for me, when I had a 15-year-old, a 13-year-old, and an 8-year-old. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

If you’ve ever struggled with clinical depression, you know that mornings are the worst. Today is a short episode as I’m reading a raw and authentic prayer for moms who struggle in the morning. This is Chapter 21: A For-Real Monday Morning Prayer if you, too woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

This essay was part of a series I wrote on my blog, Exposing Lies Moms Believe. In it, I identify the root of a lie I hear every single day and the Truth that sets me free. This is Chapter 20: Exposing Lies Moms Believe: I Don't Have Enough Time. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance

Today I’m reading one of my favorite essays of all time and one I wish I could speak to each and every one of you personally. It was part of a series I wrote on my blog called Exposing Lies Moms Believe. Also, you’ll notice a reference to Facebook, because I wrote it when I was still active there. This is Chapter 19: Exposing Lies Moms Believe: I’m a Bad Mom. Listen in. Purchase Mom, You’re Amazing! And Other Things I Want to Tell You Substack Newsletter: Behind the Balance Website: The Scoop on Balance