Chris, Ryan, and Kayla revisit an important topic: helping our kids from hard places feel safe. As adults, we may intellectually know our kids are safe; safe from physical and emotional harm, safe from not having enough to eat, safe from being homeless, or any number of problem areas. That doesn't mean our kids feel [...]
The mindset we parents bring into our relationship with our children is so important. Its really one of the most important things we can control, because it totally sets the tone from which we approach our child. Do we see a child trying to manipulate a situation or so we see a fearful, overwhelmed child [...]
We love learning about the brain. It is beyond fascinating. It is where science and creation intersect. Neuroscience has helped us learn so much about this beautiful, complicated organ that lives between our ears. We were made to connect in healthy relationships and to be delighted in. In this clip, taken from our Children's Ministry [...]
Chris wanted to go back to the basics for this episode, so he, Ryan, and Kayla talk about that most important organ in the body: the brain. They dissect—not literally—the components of the brain and talk about how parents of vulnerable children need to pay attention to how things are working in the minds of […]
Marriage is tough and it takes an intentional investment to make it thrive and not just survive. We are seventeen years in and we feel like we are still learning so much. Ryan and I recently had an opportunity to speak at The Sparrow Fund’s annual marriage retreat for adoptive and foster families on staying connected in […]
Chris, Ryan, and Kayla continue the discussion on the importance of play with our kids, this time by providing practical examples for incorporating play. Topics range from finding the time to turning everyday activities into games.
In August we started a new diet. I actually hate to call it that. It’s really been more of a lifestyle change. Diet implies something you do for a time to lose weight. To fix a problem. Then you go back to your old ways, leading to another diet down the road. This program is […]
I love going to conferences. Adoption and foster care, home school, women of God, marriage, you name it, I’m there. I love spending time learning from people who are experts in their fields. I love hearing stories from those who have tried and failed and kept trying until they found a solution. I always walk […]
Even if you haven’t been to an adoption and foster care conference, such as Empowered to Connect or CAFO Summit, you may have attended a seminar or one-day class that had you coming out of it thinking, “Yes! I can do this! I’m going to change the way I parent my kids!” But the excitement […]
I’m still “re-entering” after our most recent Together Called weekend with The Sparrow Fund. It’s the seventh year we’ve had the privilege of serving adoptive and foster couples at this spectacular marriage retreat event. Each year always carries special memories, but I think 2019 has been my favorite to date. We experienced such deep conversation […]